Vote-buying gimmicks

o appease the urban electorate ahead of the polls. Mugabe this week warned landlords against raising rentals beyond those stipulated.
Zanu (PF) is also splashing out funds ostensibly for “income generating projects” to youths and women, via its Harare province leadership, as well as dishing out residential stands.
“There is a plan to campaign for the urban vote and leave no stone unturned in ensuring we get good results at next year’s elections from the opposition strongholds,” the source said. “There are funds put aside for the campaign projects and teams are already on the ground to implement the strategies.”
Zanu (PF)’s political commissar Elliot Manyika denied that the party’s strategies were aimed at rigging. “They are not bad tactics, we are campaigning and that is acceptable in any situation because we are a serious party,” he said.
Confidential information leaked from the office of Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo shows that in Harare the regime has identified several open areas where it has started allocating stands to party followers. – Itai Dzamara