ZAPU secretary-general Mthulisi Hanana says the only way to remove ZANU PF from power is for the opposition to defeat the ruling party in the local government and parliamentary elections, rather than focusing only on the presidential election.
Speaking in an interview on Uncensored with Mzala Tom held on Twitter Spaces, Hanana noted that ZANU PF is better organised than the opposition as it can field candidates in each ward throughout the country. He said:
We had a lot of parties contesting, had an alliance made up of seven political parties yet ZANU PF still had 60 local authority seats won uncontested from five provinces, which means we are scrambling for the same thing.
You must understand one of the lies people have believed is they are able to remove ZANU PF at the top, our problems will be solved but people don’t realise the party will stay unless and until we get a point to say a ZANU PF councillor or an MP is as bad as a ZANU PF president.
Hanana said ZANU PF can be removed from power by removing it from the grassroots, especially in rural areas. He said:
We must have people voting for the opposition down there and not only voting for the opposition at the top so that when it comes to electoral infrastructure, it can also give the opposition ultimate victory and win.
In 2018, Nelson Chamisa had about 45 per cent of the total presidential vote but when it came to the Parliament, he only had 34 per cent.
This shows the agenda of removing ZANU PF is being taught wrongly, we should be removing it from the grassroots.
Hanana also called on opposition political parties to form coalitions and avoid contesting against each other in some areas to avoid “spreading themselves thin”.