President calls for unity ahead of by-elections

President calls for unity ahead of by-elections

Hosia Mviringi

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has urged ZANU PF party members and leadership to unite and focus on winning the upcoming by-elections on March 26, 2022.

The President was speaking at Epworth High School on Saturday, as he launched the party’s campaign to take back council and House of Assembly seats which were previously in the opposition hands.

The President spoke passionately about the need for losing candidates in the just-ended party primary elections to rally behind those that triumphed so that the party wins those contested seats.

“I hear that there were some contestations in the run-up to the just-ended primary elections. Yes that is permissible and it’s healthy for the party. But talking about Epworth Constituency in particular, I am happy that you have a candidate, and that it is this girl here Zalerah Makari who triumphed in the primaries,” said the President to wild applause.

“It therefore becomes everybody’s role and duty to support her fully. It is no longer about her but the about the greater good of the revolutionary party ZANU PF. With the level of support that I have witnessed here today through your attendance, I have no doubt that we have already won this seat,” President Mnangagwa said.

Like a true loving father that he is to his children, the President took time to offer some wise counsel to the losing candidate Damson whom he thanked for taking the initiative to come forward to support the party’s candidate Cde Makari for a chance to win the seat for ZANU PF.

“I was pleased to see you come forward to me in support of our candidate for the Epworth Parliamentary seat. That alone was a good show of maturity,” said President Mnangagwa.

The President took time to remind everyone in attendance Damson included, that the party is indeed bigger than individuals and as such all members who are in it voluntarily must put the interests of the party first.

“As is the custom in our party, especially noting that most of you here today were born when the party was already in existence, you made a conscious choice to join the party. Now you are all duty-bound, together with the youths whom you lead within the party, to support and canvass for more support for our candidate Cde Makari. It’s no longer about individuals but the greater party ZANU PF,” President Mnangagwa said.

President Mnangagwa said that even though Makari once defected from the party, she has done a good thing of retracing her footsteps back into the revolutionary party.

He reminded ZANU PF supporters that since the past cannot lead the party into the future, it is imperative that the party embraces and supports her as her readmission into the party was above board.

He urged party leadership and the people of Epworth to embrace, walk and work with her for the good of the party.

“I am aware that you once left the party before, but congratulations to you because you quickly realised how cold it is outside ZANU PF and you have returned to the fold,” said the President in officially welcoming Makari back to the party.

The March 26 by-election are a culmination of a proclamation of by-elections by the President on January 6, 2022 to fill all vacant elected seats both in the House of Assembly and Local government.

A total of 28 Parliamentary and 105 Council vacant seats will be contested to fulfil a constitutional provision which guarantees right to full representation of citizens in all statutory institutions.