Zanu PF has reportedly formed another parallel structure that draws its membership from civil servants ahead of the crunch 2023 general elections.
Civil Servants TrustED is targeting, soldiers, police officers, and prison officers, among others.
This follows the recent launch of Teachers for Economic Development (ED) and Health Ambassadors for ED.
NewsDay quoted an unnamed senior police officer as saying Civil Servants TrustED is moving around the country and selling ZANU PF membership cards at civil servants’ workstations.
The police officer, whose name cannot be revealed to protect him from possible victimization, said:
Selling and buying membership cards is currently underway at this station (name withheld).
Civil Servants TrustED secretary-general, Duku Chigumira, said the group intends to incorporate all government employees. Said Chigumira:
Ours is an umbrella body that seeks to incorporate the rest of the civil servants who are not represented.
We are drawing our membership from Agritex workers, police, soldiers, prison officers, and all those who work in government departments. We are supporting President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030.
We are government workers, and the highest-ranking civil servant is the President, so we have to support him.
We have launched Civil Servants TrustED in eight provinces, save for two Matabeleland provinces where we have had communication problems.
The Constitution stipulates that security service members, including soldiers and police officers, must be apolitical.
ZRP spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, said he had not received reports of police officers being ordered to buy ZANU PF membership cards.
“The issue of police alleging they are being forced to put on ZANU PF regalia or buy membership cards has not been brought to the office of the commissioner-general. However, we will carry out investigations on the matter,” he said.
