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Joseph Madzimure and Trust Freddy, Harare Bureau

ZANU-PF has deferred primary elections that were supposed to be held countrywide today due to an overwhelming response from cadres who are interested in representing the revolutionary party in the forthcoming harmonised polls.

Although the security vetting of prospective candidates has been completed, the National Elections Directorate (NED) is still working on submissions and is now expected to finish its work this weekend ahead of a Politburo meeting at the party’s headquarters in Harare on Monday.

New dates for the primaries will be announced after the Politburo meeting which will consider submissions from the NED and deliver the final verdict on the candidate list.

Addressing the media at the party headquarters yesterday, Zanu-PF National Political Commissar Cde Mike Bimha said the party postponed the elections because it was overwhelmed by the large number of candidates.

Cde Bimha said the party is happy with the huge response from candidates as it is an indication of the confidence that the people have in President Mnangagwa.

‘‘We are happy as a party that we received an overwhelming response from members willing to participate in the elections. The security department has finished its work, and today, the National Elections Directorate will convene to look at the recommendations from other departments.

We expect the process to be completed this weekend, and recommendations will be taken to the Politburo meeting on Monday for consideration. After the Politburo meeting, primary elections will be held, I’m not sure if it’s Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday,’’ he said.

Cde Bimha said the NED would look into concerns raised by party members.
“What will now happen is that the National Elections Directorate, which only meets when all these submissions have been made, will convene to look at all these processes and then make recommendations.

“It doesn’t have the final say in terms of who should stand or not. They will only make recommendations. Once they carry out that exercise, their recommendations are then considered by the Politburo.

The Politburo has the final say. Once the Politburo considers these submissions and approves the recommendations it means now its game on,” he said.

Cde Bimha also warned members against acts of violence saying there is no room for anarchy in the revolutionary party.
‘‘I want to give a stern warning to our candidates in the primary elections that anyone found perpetrating violence will be disqualified as President Mnangagwa has always said there is no room for violence.

Zanu PF spokesperson Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa.

So imagine perpetrating violence towards your own party members . . . what more during the general elections? So these are the bad elements we don’t want to see in the party,’’ he said.

Speaking at the same occasion, Zanu-PF spokesperson, Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa, said the overwhelming response shows that there is democracy in the revolutionary party.