Ruling Zanu-PF yesterday resolved to suspend its provincial elections that were set for this week and had reportedly threatened to further tear apart the party.
The ruling party’s national acting spokesperson Mike Bimha told journalists last night that the decision to suspend the provincial elections was to allow the smooth running of the national people’s conference set for October 25 in Mashonaland Central province.
“The politburo resolved to suspend provincial elections until further notice so as to allow the structures to concentrate on the conference preparations,” he said.
The halt came after reports say the provincial election campaigns have been marred by factionalism, smear campaigns and were threatening to turn bloody while also exposing deep-rooted factionalism in the party.
There were also reports of chaos in almost all the provinces, mainly the Midlands, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Manicaland and Masvingo, where party bigwigs are facing off in a fight to control the
provinces.
The chaos that has affected the holding of the provincial elections came on the background of similar challenges the party faced when it held district co-ordinating committee elections, which remain disputed.
Bimha said the extraordinary politburo meeting received reports on preparations for the national people’s conference from the party national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri and resolved to hold the indaba in observance of COVID-19 regulations.
Only a few party members will attend physically while others will follow the proceedings virtually from provincial centres.
