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Joseph Madzimure  Senior Reporter

The convincing victory in the Gokwe-Kubuyuni by-election over pretenders by Zanu PF is a harbinger of what awaits the opposition in the next year’s harmonised elections, analysts have said.

Zanu PF’s candidate Cde Spencer Tshuma won the by-election that was held last weekend with 10 727 votes against CCC candidate Mr Costin Muguti who got 4 800 votes, this translated to 69 percent of the total vote for the ruling party against the wobbly opposition that got 31 percent. Over 14 000 voters cast their vote in the peaceful election that was triggered following the death of Zanu PF parliamentarian Cde Leonard Chikomba in a car accident.

Political analyst Mr Collin Mharadzano said the outcome of the by-election was a barometer of the 2023 harmonised elections.

“Zanu PF has many projects under its purview that it has to see to fruition,” he said. “The successful completion of these projects will see the relegation of the CCC and other opposition political parties to the back waters of national politics.

“Simply put, Zanu PF has to continue to rule this country as no-one else has anything worthwhile to offer.”

Mr Mharadzano said the writing was on the wall as the populace was ready to dump all the puppetry parties epitomised by the one led by Mr Nelson Chamisa.

“Zimbabweans will never forgive Mr Chamisa and his cronies for inviting the ruinous sanctions currently bedevilling our economic and social space,” said Mr Mharadzano. The results of Gokwe-Kabuyuni, he said, were an indicator of the overwhelming mandate which the revolutionary Zanu PF party will be given by the people come next year.

“With its hands on the deck, the Second Republic ably led by His Excellency Dr ED Mnangagwa has undertaken life changing projects which have convinced the majority that indeed Zimbabwe is on course to be an Upper Middle Income Economy by 2030,” he said.

Another analyst Dr Hamadziripi Dube said the outcome of Gokwe-Kabuyuni by-election, indicated that there was no doubt Zanu PF will maintain its grip in rural areas ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections.

“The revolutionary party will maintain its position in rural areas,” he said. “With the developmental trajectory taking place across the country under the Second Republic, the party will also fish from the opposition pond in urban centres like what we saw in Epworth.”

Dr Dube said the electorate now knew that they cannot make the same mistake again and allow the seats to remain in the custody of pretenders.

“Zanu PF just needs to create the right temperature for the elections and the people will not disappoint even in urban centres,” said Dr Dube. Zanu PF, he said, as a revolutionary party that brought independence, was the right foot forward for Zimbabwe.

“Remember, Zanu PF is an institution, a big institution and not an individual,” said Dr Dube. “Those who benefited from the land reform programme, small-scale miners, and business people who benefited from Zanu PF policies, they got that from Zanu PF.

“The revolutionary party have structures at the provincial level, district-by-district and ward-by-ward and cell by cell, while the CCC party does not have structures at that level, making it a bonus for Zanu PF. The opposition does not have a manifesto sellable to the people except for calling for change.

“No opposition will unseat the people’s party, especially if they are externally-funded and sponsored just to destabilise the unity and oneness people are enjoying under the ruling party.”

Academic and researcher Mr Tawanda Chinyanga opined that the political ground was already, tilting further in favour of Zanu PF.

“It is easy to tell that Zanu PF is going to win in the next general elections because they worked hard as a party in terms of organisation,” he said. “This is predictable.

“Remember, Zanu PF brought back the District Coordinating Committees and afterwards they were on record that they restructured party cells that increased their party membership. That exercise is still going on.”

Mr Chinyanga said the voting patterns of the electorate were becoming clearly inclined towards Zanu PF and that the CCC party, an offshoot of the MDC-T, was never ready to offer people the much-needed direction.