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Zanu-PF at the weekend won the Chimanimani West by-election as Cde Nokuthula Matsikenyere beat three other contenders for the seat previously held by expelled Zanu-PF member Munacho Mutezo.Cde Matsikenyere polled 11 074 votes, beating independent candidate Peter Mtetwa, who got 3 018, Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe’s Peter Gudyanga (183) and National Constitutional Assembly’s Peter Musaruka who garnered 171 votes.

Read in the context of a major upset that the ruling party suffered last month in Norton where an independent candidate Mr Temba Mliswa walloped Ronald Chindedza, the result assuaged fears of a meltdown of the revolutionary party amid internal fights that plagued Norton.

And the feeling of excitement in Zanu-PF was palpable following Cde Matsikenyere’s victory.

A loss would have been disastrous, and this seemed evident to all and sundry hence the closing in of ranks within the party, starting with the pledge by candidates that lost primaries to work with Cde Matsikenyere.

It will be recalled that there had been a strong fallout when Cde Matsikenyere defeated Cde Letina Undenge in August primaries and a harsh exchange of words ensued, only to abate in light of Norton and, crucially, ahead of the weekend poll.

The Zanu-PF leadership also moved in not only to unite the electorate, but to drum up maximum support for the candidate and the modus vivendi that characterised the late stages of the campaign told of a party leaving nothing to chance.

The field, though, did not seriously threaten another Norton, although Cde Matsikenyere’s rival did not perform too badly for an independent candidate.

From the result of the election of 2013, which ushered in Mutezo, this time Zanu-PF increased its share by almost 1 000 votes.

This is partly due to the aggressive and cohesive campaign, especially in its last weeks.

Unity was crucial.

We recall Cde Undenge saying, “The victory is not for her alone. We have been holding a number of campaign activities together. Once primary elections are over, the fight ceases to belong to one person but is for the whole party. Primary elections are just a process to select a candidate and not a war.”

Zanu-PF should carry on with this spirit and its members must rise above parochial interests to not only ensure the party wins, but also that it makes good use of the people’s mandate to reward constituents.

Zanu-PF or, for that matter, any other party’s duty, is not just to win elections.

People expect to see service delivery for which they invest their votes and passions.

That is critical.

We expect Cde Matsikenyere, with the full support of her colleagues in the party and Government, to immediately start working for the people of Chimanimani West and show that they did not vote in vain.

This is something that must also be instructive for the ruling party in general.

Zanu-PF made so many lofty promises in the last general elections and people have not forgotten about them.

There is still time to deliver on the promises that are in line with Zim-Asset and the 10-Point Plan for economic recovery.

It would be such a pity were the party, caught in needless internal fights, to be too distracted to rescue its mandate.

Challenges in the economy still abound and the country is in urgent need of economic survival and revival.

That can only be done if the party decides, for once, that factionalism is taking the party and country nowhere and that so much is expected of those to whom so much trust was given.

And it is never too late. After all the recently-introduced bond notes should alleviate people’s suffering and convince voters that zanu-PF cares and has the imagination to ease their pain.