HARARE - Top Zanu (PF) officials recently warned party first secretary, Robert Mugabe, against holding elections next year as the former ruling party would lose big time to MDC-T, a politburo member told The Zimbabwean.
After Mugabe announced that elections would be held next year, as senior politburo members we updated him about the true situation on the ground. We told him Zanu (PF) as a party and he as an individual no longer commanded support at grassroots level. It would be politically suicidal to go to the ballot anytime soon, said the source. He said Zanu (PF) politburo did not deliberate or approve going to the polls. It was Mugabe alone who remained adamant that the country should hold elections next year.
If Mugabe takes a decision, nothing would make him change his position, no matter how risky it is. Like sheep, we are being led to the sacrificial alter come next elections. No Zanu (PF) legislative or Senatorial candidate was willing to contest in the proposed elections as the outcome would not favor Zanu (PF). Since the party lost its grip among rural communities, MDC-T would easily romp to victory. Despite all these observations, Mugabe dangerously stuck to his guns that his party was ready for elections, the source added. The party election machinery has already gone into action in the rural areas, where intimidation is Mugabes trump card.