On 19 November 2015, First Lady Grace Mugabe had a rally at Shawasha
Grounds in Mbare. Vending markets at Siyaso, Mupedzanhamo and Mbare
Musika were compulsorily closed from 9.30am till after 3 pm when the rally
ended. People who live in nearby hostels were told to close their doors and attend
the rally. Shops in the area were also forced to close. There was tight security and
people were searched by the police as they got into the ground. The roads near the
venue were closed.
There were election campaigns for Zanu-PF chairpersons every Saturday starting
from 4 November till 28 November 2015 when district elections were held in
Kambuzuma. The elections were chaotic as Chaibva of Joshua Mqabuko side was
not allowed to contest. After proving that she was part of Ward 14 Kambuzuma,
she was allowed to contest but some voters shunned her. She gave up the contest
but her supporters and people from Ward 14 had heated exchange of words and
they almost fought. Samuel Chinyowa won as the chairperson.
Manicaland
A massive Zanu-PF membership drive is underway in Manicaland as part of the party’s
strategies for the 2018 general elections. The party is selling electronic membership cards
at a cost of US$3-00 each. These cards form the basis of access to free and subsidised
government aid. Party officials are urging people to use every trick in the book to source
for the required money to buy the cards. They are alleged to have said that failure to buy
the party affiliation cards will expose those in opposition politics. The threats are taking
place despite the existence of domestic laws that allow citizens to associate freely with
political parties of their choice. Leading the threats are constituencies such as Chipinge
East and Chimanimani West.
Intra-party violence pitting those sympathetic to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa
against supporters of First Lady Grace Mugabe has characterised the politics of
Manicaland with each faction passing a vote of no confidence against the other. This has
been more evident in the Women’s League where two political gurus in the likes of
Happiness Nyakuedzwa and Monica Mutsvangwa seem to be losing the battle. The two
have been fighting in Mnangagwa’s corner. Nyakuedzwa was recently suspended for
failing to “toe the line”.
Highlights:
On 23 November 2015, at a Zanu-PF district meeting in Florida Club in Chikanga
Mutare, Rudo Zondo (not real name) was allegedly physically assaulted by
Ruvheneko Mariacha also of Zanu-PF due to factional differences. During the
meeting, Zondo expressed sentiments that were sympathetic to the now former
Women’s League boss in Manicaland Happiness Nyakuedzwa, who is believed to
be in the Mnangagwa camp. The statement angered the perpetrator who responded
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