The director of the Harare-based Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI), Pedzisai Ruhanya, has suggested some points the opposition needs to consider if it was serious about defeating the ruling ZANU PF in the forthcoming 2023 elections.
Posting on microblogging site, Twitter, Ruhanya said that the opposition needs to identify its political gravity. He tweeted:
To defeat ZANU PF in 2023, the opposition must identify its centre of political gravity; rural strategies, psychological warfare, fear, violence, marshalling of voters through village heads, chiefs, headmen, churches, community leaders by security forces, its grassroots orgs!
In previous elections, ZANU PF has been known for using the local leadership including traditional leaders to mobilise the electorate into voting the ruling party.
Other reports suggest that the local leadership would sometimes use violence, intimidation or partisan distribution of resources as a way to persuade the electorate into voting for ZANU PF.
The opposition has been complaining about the participation of traditional leaders in politics that when chief Ndiweni was castigated for openly supporting the MDC, analysts were shocked.
The constitution, however, prohibits traditional leaders from participating in politics given their position. Some analysts have however argued that the constitution needs to be amended to accommodate the leaders.
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