Zimbabwe Elections: Zanu PF holds last presidential star rally in Mnangagwa’s home province 

By Darlington Gatsi

THE ruling party, Zanu PF will wind down its presidential campaign trail this weekend in Emmerson Mnangagwa’s home province, Midlands, a last chance to woo the electorate ahead of next week’s general elections.

Zanu PF has been on a campaign trail for the past month traversing the country’s ten provinces as Mnangagwa seeks another term at the country’s helm.

Mnangagwa, who replaced longtime ruler Robert Mugabe in a 2017 military-assisted coup, is seeking another five-year mandate which might be his final term according to the country’s constitution.

The 80-year-old, kicking off his campaign in Chipinge, has left nothing to chance in his bid for re-election when he faces off against main challenger Nelson Chamisa from Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).

Mnangagwa in his rallies has drawn large crowds which political observers allege are bussed using state resources.

Zanu PF is targeting more than 5 million votes out of the 6 million registered voters.

The ruling party has been campaigning without an election manifesto blueprint saying its work in the past five years is enough to woo voters.

The party has overseen a turbulent economic period in the last five years which is likely to pose a challenge to its support base.

The Zimbabwean dollar has failed to gather momentum against the United States currency which has remained a preferred choice of trade by businesses in the country.

Zanu PF spokesperson, Christopher Mutsvangwa addressing the media Thursday said the government has recorded some milestones in energy, and mining which they are riding on.

“There is a reward for honest work done by Zanu PF in the past five years that is why we are not producing our manifesto. We would rather our work speak for itself. These are the issues that our president will be selling to the public and that is what he has been selling.

“He has attended nine rallies in all the major provinces of this country. People are being given buses but this is the age of the automobile. Now you make an issue of why people have been bussed. No one was forced to board buses,” said Mutsvangawa.

Notwithstanding all the woes the country is facing, Mutsvangwa is upbeat that Zanu PF will retain power in next week’s election.

“We have done our job well and we expect to be accordingly rewarded come next Wednesday,” he said.