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Zanu-PF supporters attend the Mat North presidential Youth Interface rally in Lupane.

PRESIDENT Mugabe’s popularity was once again on show when Zanu-PF held its youth interface rally in Matabeleland North’s capital, Lupane last Friday.

A massive show of force was on display as more than 40 000 converged on Somhlolo Stadium with the party’s rank and file resplendent in their colourful regalia which painted the area in a sea of green, gold, black, yellow and red.

It was a wonderful scene — one which confirmed the ruling party’s popularity in the region. Zanu-PF did very well in the last harmonised elections in 2013, taking seven seats against the MDC-T’s six seats. In the previous polls in 2008, the MDC-T had five seats, Zanu-PF (4), MDC-N (3) and an independent (1).

The ruling party also swept all 13 National Assembly seats in Matabeleland South to come back from a relatively poor showing in 2008 where it only managed three seats with seven going to the MDC-N and the remaining two going to the MDC-T.

Zanu-PF also has a strong foothold in Bulawayo where it currently holds six constituencies putting it in good stead ahead of the 2018 polls. With President Mugabe at the helm, the party is likely to sweep to a convincing victory next year judging by recent surveys and the massive support he still commands throughout the country.

The opposition is at sixes and sevens with bickering over coalition positions likely to scupper any chances of a united front against Zanu-PF. As President Mugabe headed for Lupane last Friday, MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai was flying into a storm in Bulawayo where his party’s structures are divided along factional lines.

Mr Tsvangirai is battling to keep his party together in the face of growing discontent over his unilateral decision to sideline his long serving deputy Ms Thokozani Khupe by appointing Messrs Nelson Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri as vice presidents. In addition to internal dissent, the embattled MDC-T president has to contend with stubborn coalition partners who are not playing ball in as far as the leadership of the proposed grouping is concerned.

Chances of a coalition materialising are receding by the day with National People’s Party leader Dr Joice Mujuru and People’s Democratic Party president Mr Tendai Biti playing hardball.

Against this background, Zanu-PF has its work cut out as it prepares to launch another campaign to defend its two thirds majority in Parliament and hand President Mugabe another five-year mandate to lead the country.

In Matabeleland, it is crucial that the party maintains its 100 percent dominance in Matabeleland South while increasing its majority in Matabeleland North and securing vital seats in Bulawayo. To achieve this, there is a need for unity of purpose and an end to factional fights.

Addressing the Lupane rally, President Mugabe exhorted Zanu-PF to remain united and protect the gains of the liberation struggle in the process fulfilling the wishes of revolutionary icons like the late national hero, Vice President Dr Joshua Nkomo.

He also challenged senior ruling party cadres to draw a lesson from the unity displayed by the Youth League in its organisation of the massive rallies. “I cannot be President if I do not have followers, not just two followers like they have in the MDC and other parties but the whole country, the whole of the provinces. That love must continue to bind us,” said President Mugabe.

He recalled how the late Dr Nkomo had urged him to preserve unity and to defend the land.

“Before umdala wethu passed on, at his bedside when I went to see him umdala uNkomo wathi kimi two things I want you to observe —One, ukubambana. Do not lose that virtue, that principle. The people must remain united. Two, ilizwe lethu do not let our land go into the hands of the enemy again. Ilizwe lethu ngelethu phela. So, those two things are very crucial. But why are they crucial? Why should we remain united? We must remain united because this is now Zimbabwe. Once upon a time ilizwe lethu lathathwa ngama foreigners and we lost it,” said President Mugabe.

The President also said the party should not tolerate petty criminals who move around beating up people in the name of the party as this tarnishes the brand of the revolutionary party. We welcome the President’s wise words and urge well-meaning and disciplined party cadres to heed them.

The 2018 general elections are there for Zanu-PF to win and the party cannot afford to be scoring own goals through indiscipline and factionalism. The fact that the opposition is in disarray does not mean that voters will simply hand Zanu-PF victory on a silver platter. A lot of work still needs to be done ahead of the elections. So the party faithful need to put shoulders to wheel and knuckle down to some hard work. Petty fights are an unhelpful distraction.