ZANU PF national political commissar Engelbert Rugeje has roped in the ruling party’s Chitepo School of Ideology to conduct a healing and reconciliation workshop for all winning and losing candidates in the just-ended party primary elections, as part of measures to unite them ahead of this year’s polls.
The workshop will take place at the party headquarters in Harare on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“Provincial chairpersons are requested to invite all their respective winning and losing contestants in the said primary elections to attend this very important meeting scheduled to be addressed by His Excellency the President and First Secretary of Zanu PF on Wednesday 30 May 2018,” Rugeje said in a letter addressed to the ruling party’s provincial chairpersons.
The workshop comes at a time several Zanu PF losing candidates and their supporters have threatened to vote opposition candidates in protest over alleged rigging and imposition of candidates. The party members also accused their leaders of failing to rein-in violent members.
In a related development, four suspected Zanu PF activists are set to appear at the Bindura Magistrates Court today on allegations of robbing several tonnes of foodstuff meant to be doled out to party members in Mazowe West during primary elections held last month.
The stolen goods include rice and mealie-meal belonging to the party’s losing candidate, Tafadzwa Musarara.
The accused — Boyd Fungulani, Shingirai Chisango, Lens Faranando and Jonah Ngwenya — are believed to be sympathetic to the winning candidate and sitting legislator Kazembe Kazembe.
According to summons dated May 23 and seen by NewsDay, the alleged incident happened on April 28 at Dandamera shopping centre in Concession and the State has lined up six witnesses to testify in the case.