Sources say Mugabe told a Zanu (PF) Central Committee meeting yesterday at the party headquarters in Harare that internal differences should be put aside to ensure victory for the party.
The primaries were ridden with allegations of cheating and deliberate exclusion, resulting numerous losing candidates standing as independents, even though most of them have reportedly abandoned the race.
“Those who won primaries should woo the losers to support their cause at coming harmonised elections. This time around we must avoid ‘Bhora Musango” (sabotage voting), since we must fight at the election as one family,” Mugabe told the meeting also attended by party candidates.
Mugabe, who described the coming election as a national struggle, urged party organs to play a central role in the unification of rival party members.
He admitted that Zanu (PF) performed poorly at the 2008 election and the GNU gave it breathing space and room to strategise for a possible come back.
“We went into the GNU because we had disastrously lost our revolutionary step. The GNU allowed us space to correct our mistakes and try to win more support,” said Mugabe.
Mugabe described the GNU as a Zanu (PF) strategy to find itself again and defend gains of the liberation struggle.
The Central Committee meeting followed Wednesday protests at the party headquarters, by supporters against imposition of candidates at the primaries.
The supporters had threatened to cast a protest vote at the coming election if Mugabe did not address them.
Post published in: News