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Levi Mukarati in Gokwe
President Mnangagwa yesterday urged Zanu-PF members to be wary of individuals contesting the July 30 harmonised elections as independent candidates, but masquerading as ruling party cadres.

The President said such characters were not genuine Zanu-PF members and had no room in the party.

His warning comes in the wake of former Zanu-PF members who are standing as independent candidates in National Assembly and local authority elections, but claim to be supporting him.

Former Zanu-PF members such as Noah Mangondo, Temba Mliswa and Mekia Tanyanyiwa have been campaigning as independents for Murehwa South, Norton and Zvimba West National Assembly seats respectively, but claim to be supporting President Mnangagwa’s presidential candidature.

Addressing a bumper crowd from Gokwe District yesterday at an open space near Mapfungautsi Primary School, President Mnangagwa said party members in the area should vote for Zanu-PF on July 30.

“On July 30, this month, we will be holding national elections where we will vote for the President, Members of Parliament and councillors,” he said.

“As such, here in Gokwe, please do not be fooled by some people who are campaigning using my name, but in actual fact do not belong to us or are not Zanu-PF candidates.

“Those who are Zanu-PF candidates are party members to the core. There is no one who should say I am an independent candidate, but I am Zanu-PF, no. There are such characters here whom I am told are acting as such.

“You are Zanu-PF members and you support and vote for your candidate who is truly Zanu-PF and in this area (Gokwe Central) the candidate is (Victor) Matemadanda and he is the one you should vote for.

“We know that Gokwe has the numbers to support Zanu-PF, you are the backbone, even when we are in Harare we know that in Gokwe, Midlands, we have a party and we have people who stand by the party.

“So, we want to ensure that on 30 July your support for the party be testified through voting for Zanu-PF.”

President Mnangagwa said Zanu-PF had a defined history of fighting against colonialism to ensure majority rule and such a legacy should be protected by voting for a party destined to meet the aspirations of the nation.

“The revolutionary party of Zanu-PF has a narrative of bringing freedom to Zimbabwe and ensuring the black people rule the country,” he said.

“But we have an obligation every five years to hold elections, where we go back to the people and ask for their mandate to continue leading. In that journey there are those who come by the side also asking to lead, they are not forbidden.

“They are the ones that make the political game exciting, even at a traditional beer drinking ceremony there are those that are known to possess good dancing skills, but when those that are bad at dancing also join the floor, they are not chased away.

“In fact, they are left alone to make the whole thing exciting.”

President Mnangagwa said his administration had the blessing of vital stakeholders in the country such as chiefs, the clergy, captains of industry and the youths.

“There is no other party that has brought together chiefs to brief them on who is now in charge of the affairs of the country,” he said. “Other political parties cannot do that because it can only be done by those who are in leadership not those that are being led.

“There is no area in the country that has not been briefed by the traditional leaders on the new leadership structure in the country and who is now in charge.

“Those that are leading are Zanu-PF and Zanu-PF is you the masses. It is you who are the owners of the leadership and if you see your relatives diverting to the led, please conduct a cleansing ceremony so that they see the light.”

The rally was also attended by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, senior Government officials and Zanu-PF Politburo and Central Committee members.