ZAPU predicts surprise victory

ZAPU says it has an open democracy policy which compels it to allow party structures to nominate candidates of their choice for the state presidency. It is not automatic that the party president will run for president.

Youth Front President Mehluli Moyo told The Zimbabwean the party was targeting over a million members to win the coming elections with a result it said would surprise its political rivals and the world.

“Currently our party membership is close to a million and ZAPU will definitely be in the next government either as outright winner or as part of a coalition government,” said youth secretary general Future Msebele. He was quick to point out that ZAPU would not form a coalition with any political party that did not share its ideology.

“Never in our life time will ZAPU be involved in a forced coalition like that of 1987 with Zanu (PF).” He also took a swipe at the GNU, which he said had failed to distribute Zimbabwe’s natural resources equitably among the people.

ZAPU said most parts of the country remained underdeveloped while a few well-connected Zanu (PF) members helped themselves to the national cake.

“Zimbabwe is endowed with enough resources to sustain livelihoods of our people if properly managed and fairly distributed. There must be equal opportunities for all races and tribes and youths must be absorbed into the economic activities,” he said.

The treasurer general, Desmond Mhlanga, said a future ZAPU government would reduce the number of administrative provinces from 10 to five for easy management of resources.

“Too many provincial administrative institutions are a waste of resources as they only serve the unjustified purpose of job creation for bootlickers,” he said.

ZAPU is keeping its eyes open to help ensure that coming elections are not rigged. Its elections directorate is engaging other stakeholders such as ZEC in voter registration.

It has teams on the ground mobilizing party members to register and vote in their numbers. To make sure elections are conducted to expectations ZAPU will deploy agents and representatives at every polling station during elections.

“The dilemma is that election rigging starts with the voter registration and it is also disturbing that the Registrar General’s office is disturbing the smooth flow of the electoral process instead of letting ZEC do its job undisturbed,” said Mhlanga.