ZANU PF yesterday upped their game of winning Apostolic sect members, dishing out residential stands to Johane Masowe worshippers and urging them to vote for the party in this year’s watershed polls. Report by Moses Matenga
In what can be interpreted as vote-buying, acting governor Alfred Tome, who was representing the Zanu PF secretary for lands who is also the Local government minister Ignatius Chombo, handed over the agreements of sale to 34 members of the church.
The party pledged to dish out more land under the Zvido Zvemagamba housing co-operative to the church followers, whose membership is estimated to be around five million.
Tome warned the church against applying for land via MDC-T councillors saying they would never get any from them.
He went on to urge them to vote “wisely” in the coming elections.
“We say ‘No’ to homosexuality, use this rod to take those who are lost (politically). I once heard that Mapostori don’t vote but I know you will vote.
“Never ever trust a white man even those boys in council who used to sell juice cards (MDC-T councillors). They will never give you land even if you apply, but if you come through our offices, we will give you land,” he said.
One of the church leaders Lawrence Katsiru, a known Zanu PF sympathiser, assured Tome that his church was resolute and will remain “ideologically correct”.
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“In Africa, we are more than 5 million black people in the church, no white men even if they come with their epilepsy we won’t help them because of their sins,” Katsiru said.
“We remain resolute and ideologically directed and we will stand by you. We are very principled,” he said.
Zanu PF is determined to score high in the next elections and to lure members of apostolic churches and Pentecostal churches to increase chances of defeating their main rival, the MDC-T.
Observers say the Apostolic sect is being rewarded for their loyalty and declaration of allegiance to Zanu PF that has seen them “stealing the thunder” from other groupings in national gatherings where they are bussed to sing praises for the party and President Robert Mugabe.
Top Zanu PF bigwigs have gone steps further to lure members of the Apostolic sect with people including Mugabe, Vice-President Joice Mujuru, Media and Information Publicity minister Webster Shamu and Chombo seen clad in white garments to associate themselves with the sect that has millions of potential voters in its midst.
According to Zanu PF’s resolutions for 2010, 2011 and 2012 national people’s conferences, the party resolved to target the church, youths and women in their campaigns.
Zanu PF is pinning its victory hopes on populist projects like the indiginisation programme and dishing out flea markets in suburbs and giving out stands to groups that declare their allegiance to the party.
