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Patrick Chitumba-Midlands Bureau

ZANU PF is reorienting its members to its core values and principles, so they know how to follow the party’s election conduct and framing of its campaign messaging ahead of the August 23 polls.

Aspiring legislators are attending a five-day orientation and induction workshop in Gweru.

The workshop spearheaded by the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology is being attended by Zanu PF aspiring candidates in the forthcoming elections.

Zanu PF First Secretary, President Mnangagwa opened the workshop on Monday where he underscored the need for unity of purpose among party cadres so that the party is assured of a landslide victory.

In an interview yesterday, political analyst Cde Richard Mahomva said there is a need to take party cadres through the ideology school so that they are better equipped to drive the party programme to their constituencies.

“The on-going programme in Gweru being led by the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology reaffirms the need for enhancing the ideological base by any organised political party. This is what established and well-organised political parties must do,” he said.

Cde Mahomva said the ruling party is merely proving its mettle as a mature political organisation whose conduct is worth emulating by younger post-land reform reactionary political formations. 

“Through this exercise, Zanu PF is reorienting its members to its values and this will be handy in forming the party’s election conduct and framing of its campaign messaging ahead of the August election. From this point, people should anticipate a deeply nationalist spirited campaign by Zanu PF,” he said.

“With all the 210 Zanu PF aspiring Parliamentary candidates undergoing robust ideological training, it’s clear that the ruling party is investing in the reign of superior logic in projecting itself in the 2023 elections.”

Cde Mahomva said so far Zanu PF is the only party that has engaged in an exercise of this kind. He said it is an indication of a serious party that has a rich history and has plans for a bright future for its members and the country at large.

“The training was preceded by the reconstruction of the party structures in the last two years. Zanu PF also entered into an elective congress in 2022 and a subsequent clean primary election process,” he said.

“We witnessed several primary election re-runs which prove a highly introspective mechanism within Zanu PF for developing parliamentary and local governance leaders who are aligned to the context-sensitive needs of the constituencies and wards they will serve after the August election.

“Therefore, this suggests that the party has attained relevant internal constitutional merits and moral basis to stand as a prepared competitor against all opposition parties in Zimbabwe.”

The workshop would also boost Zanu PF’s preparedness for the coming harmonised elections.

“Therefore, this ideological training is a booster to Zanu PF’s preparedness to seek a new mandate from its supporters and other citizens who will be swayed to Zanu PF’s side on the basis of ideological merit which is being recast in Gweru,” said Cde Mahomva.