HARARE – Disgruntled G40 supporters in Mashonaland provinces have reportedly approached the MDC-T structures with a view to joining the opposition ahead of next year’s elections.
Zanu PF G40 members last month lost a protracted and vicious succession battle to a rival faction, Lacoste.
Following the faction’s army orchestrated defeat, most members of the G40 faction went into hiding after threats of arrests and retribution by the “victorious” faction.
MDC T-secretary for elections in the youth Assembly, Kunashe Muchemwa told New Zimbabwe that bitter G40 members have vowed to dump Zanu PF and vote for the opposition in next year’s elections.
“As the year begins, we will continue with our programme of recruiting both internally and externally. We will, however, have a special focus on the rural populace. A lot of disgruntled G40 members are promising to vote for us come 2018. Our structures are informally engaging them and many have promised to vote for us especially in Mashonaland provinces where G40 was very strong,” said Muchemwa.
Muchemwa said from the party’s assessment so far, they were confident that the rural populace will this time around vote for the opposition.
“During the holidays, we gave each other assignments in various rural areas. The response is very positive. People in rural areas are complaining about abnormal prices and cash shortages. The current government has failed to address these issues and hence people in the rural areas cannot wait for 2018 to usher in a new dispensation. They are clear that when the MDC got into government in 2009 during the inclusive government, there was an immediate and visible change,” he said.
Muchemwa also said the party will, next year, continue with its three pronged voter education programmes.
“We will continue with our Bereka mwana, Door-to-Door and #99 voter education campaigns. Under Bereka Mwana campaign, we are distributing forms to leaders at every level of the party’s structure including cell and branch leaders. The leaders are expected to write details of all their children and dependents between the ages of 17 and 35. After collecting the forms, the leadership of the assembly will then make a follow up to see if these children are registered voters,” said Muchemwa
He said the Door-to-Door campaign will also mainly be concentrated in rural and resettlement areas where the secretary said there is bad perception of the party‘s programmes and policies.
