A leaked internal police memorandum has exposed that the ruling Zanu PF party’s popularity is waning at the grassroots, especially in its rural strongholds.
Over the weekend, Zanu PF conducted an audit of its cell structures ahead of the 2023 elections at events dubbed the national cell day launched on Saturday.
The party’s national cell day was, however, marred by poor turnout and confusion in most parts of the country.
Over the weekend, Zanu PF conducted an audit of its cell structures ahead of the 2023 elections at events dubbed the national cell day launched on Saturday.
The party’s national cell day was, however, marred by poor turnout and confusion in most parts of the country.
In some areas, the party cells failed to meet after Zanu PF supporters failed to turn out, a development which forced Zanu PF vice-president and second secretary Kembo Mohadi to cancel the exercise in his home town, Beitbridge.
In most urban areas, supporters went about their normal day-to-day businesses and completely ignored the Zanu PF cell gatherings.
In a leaked internal memo dated May 11, 2022 written by police district intelligence officer Masvingo East Grifton Mushovu, seen by NewsDay, the security officers noted that in some areas, issues of factionalism within the ruling party contributed to the poor turnout.
In the memo, police said in areas where there was a high turnout of supporters for the cell audits, most of them were not registered party members.
They warned the ruling party to up its game saying the poor attendance was a “shadow of what is on the ground”.
“However, there are reports that most cell structures are not a true reflection of what is on the ground,” the memo read.
“Some are reportedly doctored to save the interests of the sitting Member of Parliament, especially in Bikita East constituency where it is alleged that Comrade Johnson Madhuku ordered that no cell structure should be submitted to the party office without signatures appended by him as a seal of approval. The cell verification exercise should be taken seriously and holistically since cell structures on paper are a shadow of what is on the ground. Some cell chairpersons are deliberately omitting some members from the structures and when they get to 50 members,” the memo added.
Contacted for comment, Mushovu could neither deny nor confirm the authenticity of the memo saying: “I can’t comment over the phone. Where are you? I really can’t talk over the
phone.”
-Newsday