ZANU PF claimed a surge in new membership on Saturday after hundreds of vendors and supporters packed Bulawayo’s Fifth Avenue for the ruling party’s national cell verification exercise, part of a nationwide drive to consolidate its grassroots structures.
The exercise formed part of Zanu PF's nationwide drive to verify and update party membership records while strengthening structures from cell to district level ahead of future mobilisation programmes.
Fifth Avenue, where many vendors now refer to the area as “Patriotic Vendors4ED Street”, was awash with party regalia as supporters queued to verify their membership details while first-time registrants signed up to join the ruling party.
The programme was led by Patriotic Vendors4ED Bulawayo provincial chairperson Jonas Chiro and attended by senior party officials, including Patriotic Vendors4ED national chairperson Sawu Jere.
Addressing journalists, Chiro said turnout had exceeded expectations.
“What you are seeing here is what we call ‘entryism’ in English,” he said.
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“Today we witnessed a rapid influx of hundreds of people registering to join Zanu PF, while our old members also came out in very large numbers to verify their names.”
Jere described the exercise as a major success, saying vendors had responded positively to the mobilisation campaign.
“As you can see, all the vendors along 5th Avenue today are happy. They are proud of this well-organised, timeous national event,” he said.
“Just two weeks ago I released a poster that circulated widely on social media calling for this turnout, and Bulawayo vendors answered that call.”
Jere attributed the turnout to growing confidence in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s leadership and the government’s development agenda under the National Development Strategy.
“They came in their numbers to the moving train that cannot be stopped or fitted into anyone’s pocket,” he said.
“Honestly speaking, Zanu PF is a gigantic moving train that no one can stop under the sun.
“Under the leadership of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and through the implementation of NDS1 and now NDS2, he is delivering infrastructure, development projects and improved livelihoods.”
He also appealed to opposition supporters to join the ruling party.
“I invite even members of the opposition to come freely and join Zanu PF so that we can build our nation together,” he said.
“Well done, vendors. You are now the pillars of Zanu PF, the national people’s party. Keep on keeping on.”
Throughout the morning, supporters sang liberation songs, chanted party slogans and waved banners and party regalia as the verification exercise continued.
Zanu PF says the nationwide exercise is intended to strengthen grassroots structures and update membership records across the country.