Cde Kasukuwere

Cde Kasukuwere

Bulawayo Bureau
ZANU-PF secretary for the Commissariat Cde Saviour Kasukuwere yesterday ordered Bulawayo provincial structures to hold primary elections in the five constituencies where by-elections would be held so that the party gets the best candidates.

The constituencies namely Mpopoma, Lobengula, Pumula, Makokoba and Luveve fell vacant following the expulsion from Parliament two weeks ago of 21 former MDC-T MPs who defected to form the UMDC.

Addressing a Provincial Co-ordinating Committee meeting at the Davies Hall, Zanu-PF provincial headquarters, Cde Kasukuwere castigated attempts by some leaders to block contenders.

Cde Kasukuwere directed that the province starts collecting Curriculum Vitaes from interested candidates tomorrow and send names to the party headquarters on Friday so that the commissariat provides ballot papers for primary elections on Sunday.

He said the names of successful candidates would then be submitted in Harare on April 8 saying the by-elections were a chance for the Bulawayo leadership to redeem themselves.

The primary elections, Cde Kasukuwere said, will be supervised by the commissariat department and overseen by secretary for Youth Affairs Cde Pupurai Togarepi who is presently heading the restructuring exercise in Bulawayo.

Cde Kasukuwere said the province has many people who support Zanu-PF, but wanted to be organised under party structures.

“If a party has no cells then it’s not a party because we don’t have cells in the grassroots, we shall be forever under some people who will be ruling here. We will be losing elections, but Cdes let’s not get used to losing, we’re getting used to being defeated all the time. That is a bad culture. We want to build Zanu-PF from cells then branches and districts,” said Cde Kasukuwere, who was accompanied by party secretary for Information and Publicity, Cde Simon Khaya Moyo.

“People are there in Bulawayo, there is no doubt about it. We came for the President’s rally in 2013, in White City Stadium, it was full and green all over. Zanu-PF has a serious presence here in Bulawayo. When Amai Mugabe came again last December at Amazulu Sports Club, again seas of green. Zanu-PF is here in this province.”

Cde Kasukuwere said the province would not grow with continued imposition of candidates.

“If we maintain this mentality of wanting to impose ourselves, closing gates, shutting people out, the party will not grow in Bulawayo. We have come to open the doors for people to come into the party. This business of blocking people out of the party is not helping us.

“We want to be able to walk away with victory here in Bulawayo, but that business Cdes starts in us being genuine, honest with ourselves and ensuring that party structures are there,” he said.

“On the issue of the candidates, I’m going to open the flood gates. I’m opening the gate. Don’t tell me about qualifications, I want to open the gate first and work so that Zanu-PF wins. Don’t waste your time saying, we have closed. I haven’t closed. We are going to open this game now.

“We need people who are committed to the party here in Bulawayo. The more we are out of power, the more powerless we become. Bulawayo, now we have a Bonanza. There is the ball, there is the gate and there is no goalkeeper. Don’t impose goalkeepers so that the penalties are scored.”

Cde Kasukuwere continued, “You don’t block others. I want a primary election in each and every constituency. Everyone who wants to stand should contest here in Bulawayo. It appears some had become selfish about it. We are shutting others out.

“Zanu-PF must win, I will come and camp here in Bulawayo. Sisonke until June 10. I will be living in Bulawayo. We must win. We want to have that feeling, this will bring us back to the days of the 90s in the days of the late Joshua Nkomo when we had MPs going to Harare saying we won elections. When you land in Harare, it is said here is an MP,” said Cde Kasukuwere.

He castigated the province for moving a meeting because MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai was in the city.

“We can’t mobilise this week because we want to see what will happen at Tsvangirai’s (rally) this week. Ha! Madoda! Are you now MDC people chairman? Meetings were postponed here, 100 reasons, Tsvangirai is coming. So you want to go to the airport and receive Tsvangirai? Isn’t it the time now to be organising our people in our structures so that we frustrate even Tsvangirai’s rallies. MDC is now finished. Both or three of them. Tsvangirai’s is finished, Welshman is finished, Biti is finished,” said Cde Kasukuwere.

“This is now a season of harvest. Here prey has emerged. The job has arisen. It won’t come when we are relaxed, if we don’t show affection to the people we lead, if we don’t go to the grassroots and support Togarepi with his efforts.”

Cde Kasukuwere ordered all interested candidates in each constituency go and campaign together and be given time slots to address the people. Cde Kasukuwere said those found to be buying votes would be disqualified.

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