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Tendai Gukutikwa-Manicaland Bureau

ZANU PF supporters in Mutare West constituency have been urged to stand united and shun protest votes in the upcoming harmonised elections.

Speaking during a Women’s League rally at Bambazonke Business Centre yesterday, Secretary for Administration in the Women’s League who is also Minister of Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa urged party members to rally behind the candidates that won the recently held primary elections.

She said the immediate task was to stop holding onto grudges in the party and rally behind the party’s primary election winning candidates and the President.

“There is still need for strengthened unity within party members in this constituency if we want a resounding victory during the upcoming elections. We know that some members were not pleased with the results because they had a candidate and not the party at heart. This now is the time to do away with such grudges, forgive each other and vote for the one who came out successful, vote for the party. The party should come first, shun protest votes, we do not keep grudges in the party,” she said.

Sen Mutsvangwa challenged losing candidates to encourage their loyal supporters to vote for those that came out successful during the recent primary elections. 

She also urged them to unite and mobilise prospective voters to go and register.

“We still have many voters who are on the fence and still do not know who they will vote for. Go out there and preach the gospel of the development that President ED has been spearheading across the country. We want the party and President to come out winners come 2023 harmonised elections. Our President will win if we unite and vote for the revolutionary party,” said Sen Mutsvangwa.

Present were party members as well as candidates who contested for the house of aasembly during the primary elections in the Mutare West constituency.

Sen Mutsvangwa urged Cde Nyasha Marange, who will represent the constituency in the upcoming elections, to unite the people and lead them towards victory.

“You have a lot of work to do as a leader of the constituency. The people elected you so you should lead them to victory as expected. Do not brag that you are now the MP elect, these people elected you, you should respect them and leave no one and no place behind as President ED is doing,” said Sen Mutsvangwa. 

She urged Cde Marange and other party leadership to keep conducting door-to-door voter mobilisation campaigns.

In his response, Cde Marange pledged allegiance to the party during the rally.

In an interview, Cde Marange said he will lead the party into a resounding victory in Mutare West.

“As team Zanu Pf, we will put the President first and make sure that the councillors’ seats, member of parliament seat as well as the president’s seat will all be conquered by the revolutionary party come election day. We will continue to mobilise voters in their constituencies ahead of election day and we promise that we will win all seats here because our people love the party and the President,” he said.

Provincial Women’s League chairperson Cde Happiness Nyakuedzwa advised the candidates who lost not to decampaign those that won.

“Let us forgive and forget because as you are holding onto grudges the opposition will be busy trying to lure fellow party members to vote for them. This is not the time for grudges but for unity, respect and love for the party,” she said.

She also urged the winning candidates to garner more votes for the President.

“We need assurance from you as party members that not only will you vote President ED back into power but the party will also win resoundingly during the upcoming elections,” she said.