ZANU PF uses primary elections to test run its rigging machine ahead of general polls, Mliswa

You ignore CIO involvement in ZANU PF internal elections at your own peril, Mliswa warns opposition parties

Norton Independent Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa says opposition parties in Zimbabwe are partly to blame for electoral loss.

He says they ignore ruling party internal issues, and Central Intelligence Organisation involvement in the ruling party’s primary elections, forgetting it affects them too.

“The ignorant opposition disdain for ZANU-PF
internal issues is one reason why time and again they cry foul alleging rigging. Some of us try to understand and read into the party so that come election time, we are prepared for any tricks.

“I have repeatedly spoken about the CIO outfit called FAZ, led primarily by its Deputy Director Tapfumaneyi and many have missed the point and gone against me but come election time muchamuka when you realize its significance,” he says.

Mliswa says the ruling party through government came up with a Bill to curtail influential Non Governmental Organizations but created its own which was put on test run before general elections.

“Gvt has come up with a PVO Bill which is a strategic hit against many influential NGOs, most of which capacitated parties, legislators and many other political actors. Yet, it has created its own NGOs (FAZ & Heritage) which are not real NGOs by the way& gotten them into politics!!

“During the party’s primary elections, FAZ was under a test run during which Tapfumaneyi abused it and used it for his personal empire creation. He used it to defeat many candidates using fake cell lists& used it to advance the cause of his wife Jessica who illegally contested!,” he adds.

Meanwhile, Mliswa bemoans his sister’s electoral loss in the just ended ZANU PF primary elections.

“Local politics is about the ability of the candidate to bring solutions& solving challenges on the ground. In that context logic would tell you that someone with Mary’s resume couldn’t lose. I haven’t done as much as she did. She still lost!

Zwnews