By James Gwati-Former Zanu PF Director for Commissariat, Davison Gomo, has urged the ruling party to intensify surveillance on opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, warning against what he described as “Western-sponsored forces.”
Gomo, who officially retired last week, was a key figure in mobilising support for President Emmerson Mnangagwa during his tenure.
“I am retiring from my position, but I will remain a Zanu PF cadre for life,” Gomo told delegates at his farewell party in Harare. “My advice is that we must protect our hard-won independence, as many sacrificed for this country’s freedom. We have a duty to defend it, and we must not allow Western-sponsored forces like Nelson Chamisa to take control.”
Among the most notable tools deployed under Gomo’s leadership is Forever Associates Zimbabwe (FAZ), a secretive organisation reportedly aligned with the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO).
FAZ rose to prominence in 2022 and was accused of operating parallel electoral structures during the 2023 elections.
The group allegedly deployed operatives across Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces to gather intelligence on voters, intimidate opposition supporters, and manipulate grassroots structures to secure a Zanu PF victory.
Another initiative established under Gomo’s watch was the Varakashi social media brigade—a loosely organised network of online activists and trolls tasked with defending Zanu PF narratives, discrediting opposition leaders, and dominating digital platforms.
The Varakashi, reportedly linked to state security apparatus, played a key role in silencing dissenting voices and flooding social media with pro-government messaging during politically sensitive periods.
Gomo also spearheaded the coordination of dozens of affiliate groups—including Teachers for ED, Pastors for ED, Young Women for ED, and Diaspora 4ED—that helped embed party loyalty within various sectors of society.
By 2023, Zanu PF claimed that over 60 such affiliate organisations had registered under its banner.
While Gomo’s retirement marks the end of a significant chapter in Zanu PF’s mobilisation machinery, analysts argue that the infrastructure he helped build will continue to shape Zimbabwe’s political landscape.
Civil society groups and opposition parties have long accused the ruling party of using these affiliates to entrench authoritarian control, dominate rural communities, and undermine democratic processes under the guise of grassroots activism.