‘No party election to replace Mnangagwa ahead of 2023’: Zanu PF

Zanu PF has shut the door to anyone who wants to contest for the party presidency against its current leader Emmerson Mnangagwa by hinting that there will not be any elective meeting ahead of the 2023 harmonised general elections.

Speaking to the Daily News On Sunday during the weekend, acting Zanu PF spokesperson Mike Bimha said the matter of who leads the party going into 2023 had been settled at its recent annual conference in Bindura, where Mnangagwa was endorsed by all provinces.

“Again, as I said, at the moment the party is focusing on the restructuring exercise and once we are through, we go into the pending elections for the National Assembly and local government. The President has already indicated when these will be held. So, that is our focus.

“In any case, the biggest decision to be made at the congress is the choice of the party leader and there are no two ways for us now because at the conference we endorsed President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the sole candidate for the 2023 elections,” Bimha said.

“That is the most important decision that the congress has to come up with and it’s already made.”

Zanu PF is set to hold its congress in 2022. Bimha said the congress will not focus on the election of the top brass leaders but deal with other party issues.

“It cannot be true because there are also other decisions and activities that take place. Choosing leadership is only one of the activities at congress, but there are also others.

“But we are saying Zanu PF has endorsed the president as the party’s sole candidate and no one can say why you have decided to do that.

“It is what we want, an expression of our desire. So, let it be,” Bimha further said.

This comes at a time when reports of factionalism are rocking the ruling party. Last month, Zanu PF resolved to suspend its provincial elections amid reports they had threatened to further tear the party apart.

The provincial election campaigns were marred by factionalism, smear campaigns and were threatening to turn bloody while also exposing deep-rooted factionalism in the party.

The factional lines were allegedly drawn between Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga who is accused of working hard to succeed the Zanu PF leader. Nehanda Radio