Zanu PF on Saturday took an unfamiliar stance of denouncing violence as a campaign tool and vowed to pursue a clean election campaign premised on persuasion.
But observers yesterday said they were sceptical on whether the former ruling party would be able to walk the talk.
The new stance was announced by Zanu PF secretary for legal affairs Emmerson Mnangagwa.
“The conference resolved to direct the party to hold credible, transparent and democratic primary elections and avoid the imposition of candidates.
The party also resolved to condemn and denounce any form of violence as a tool to influence political outcome.”
Mnangagwa — who is also Defence minister — read out a raft of resolutions that reflected the position of the party on the elections it resolved should be held in 2012 after the dissolution of the Government of National Unity.
“The party resolved to develop innovative and robust mobilisation strategies to woo and maintain the support of women and youth,” he said.
Zanu PF has been blamed for most of the political violence in the country.
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The party also proposed 50/50 gender representation, which could also be a strong political tool to ingratiate itself with women.
In June this year, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network released a report that showed there were more women at political rallies than on the voters’ roll.
Mnangagwa said his party resolved to work on a programme to ensure Zanu PF members were registered as voters for the next election.
In his closing remarks, as in the opening remarks, President Robert Mugabe pleaded for an end to violence.
