SECURITY chiefs have moved in to stop disgruntled Zanu PF officials from making another protest vote dubbed “bhora musango”, in an effort to prop up President Robert Mugabe’s political fortunes ahead of the July 31 elections.
REPORT BY PATRICE MAKOVA
Mugabe (89), faces a stiff challenge from MDC-T leader Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, MDC president Welshman Ncube and Zapu president Dumiso Dabengwa. Two other lesser known candidates Kisinot Mukwazhi of ZPD and Joseph Bushu of FCZ are also seeking to wrestle the presidency from him.
Sources told The Standard, the security chiefs who masterminded the June 2008 run-off campaign, were not taking any chances this time around and wanted to ensure all Zanu PF supporters rallied behind Mugabe.
In 2008, Mugabe was shocked to lose in constituencies where Zanu PF MPs won and to come second to Tsvangirai in the presidential election.
But sources said the initiative by the security chiefs was likely to face problems as a different protest vote “ponjesa bhora” (deflate the ball), was being mulled by rebels who wanted to cause voter apathy in Zanu PF strongholds.
Many aspiring MPs and their multitude of supporters are bitter following the chaos which characterised last week’s primary elections.
The primaries saw some popular candidates being disqualified and unpopular ones being admitted through the backdoor, amid reports of rampant vote rigging, missing ballot papers and violence in some areas.
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Sources said the partisan security apparatus would now be used to enforce a code of conduct which all candidates signed before the primaries. Under the code of conduct the contestants agreed to support eventual winners to avert dividing the vote.
“They [security agents] are now monitoring all the candidates who contested to ensure that they do not make another “bhora musango” which could again prove costly for Mugabe,” said a Politburo member.
Those caught on the wrong side would either face disciplinary action or the threat of arrest, the Zanu PF official said.
“They have dossiers of virtually every senior party official containing potentially damaging information. Some officials have been involved in questionable deals and others have committed certain crimes. Threats to use such information will force some disgruntled individuals to toe the line,” said the party official.
However, the source said some disgruntled officials were vowing that they would not be forced to actively campaign for Mugabe and other unpopular candidates. They were also said to be sponsoring some of the Zanu PF officials who registered to contest as independents, after they were blocked by the party.
“Many officials will take a back seat during the election campaigns, as they are not happy with what happened during the primary elections. Voter apathy is certain in some Zanu PF strongholds, the effect being what is now being called ponjesa bhora,” said the official.
Security officers were also heavily involved in the just-ended primary elections with the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), reportedly responsible for vetting candidates. Uniformed police officers were also captured by the media helping Zanu PF officials conduct the primaries.
The Zanu PF official said, while a few Zanu PF candidates were the target of arrest before the primaries to stop them from contesting, security chiefs flatly refused to apprehend them as they didn’t want to be used by the different factional leaders to silence their opponents.
The only candidate arrested before the primaries was musician and businessman, Energy Mutodi on long standing accusations of defrauding home seekers. He was eventually blocked from contesting incumbent Beater Nyamupinga in the Goromonzi West constituency.
Zanu PF spokesperson, Rugare Gumbo confirmed that efforts would be made to ensure that party members adhere to the code of conduct. He said most aspects of the code would come into effect tomorrow, when the party officially hit the ground campaigning.
“The code of conduct specifically says that such behaviour [bhora musango] will see the involved members being disciplined by the party or any other institution in place,” Gumbo said.
He however could not say what role the security chiefs would play on behalf of Zanu PF in the forthcoming elections.
SECURITY CHIEFS BLOCKED POLITBURO MEETING
A senior government official close to the party confirmed the involvement of securocrats in Zanu PF politics.
Only recently, the government official said, they helped block an attempt by one of the factions in Zanu PF to call for a politburo meeting when Mugabe was away in Japan for a summit.
The official said security chiefs with the support of one of the security ministers who also sits on the Joint Operations Command (JOC) phoned individual politburo members warning them against attending such a meeting in the absence of Mugabe.
The new constitution bars the security sector from being partisan and dabbling in politics, but evidence on the ground does not show that they have stopped this. Security chiefs have over the years openly supported Mugabe and Zanu PF. They have also vowed not to salute Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai even if he wins the Presidential election.
