While some political parties have been holding rallies across the country ahead of the Saturday by-elections, opposition ZAPU has said it has a different strategy of reaching out to the electorate altogether.
The party only managed to field only two National Assembly candidates in Tsholotsho South (Matabeleland North) and Pumula (Bulawayo) constituencies.
Speaking Wednesday on their preparedness for the March 26 by-elections, during This Morning on Asakhe, a programme hosted by CITE on Twitter spaces, ZAPU secretary-general, Mthulisi Hanana said rallies were not their campaign strategy, dismissing claims that they are not visible on the ground.
“CITE has been doing the meet the candidates (series) and our candidates have been attending,” said Hanana.
“Our strategy is not rallies and our strategy even going back to the time of the war has always been making sure that we are kept in close proximity with the voter. We engage, we interact with the voter.”
Hanana said in rallies people do not always get the opportunity to interact with the leadership and ask questions, but things are imposed on the people.
“We are on the ground, we are doing door to door campaigns,” said Hanana.
He said they are doing small meetings with the would-be voters, giving them a chance to ask questions.
“Our focus is making sure that we take politics to the grassroots making sure that people within their localities give their leadership a mandate and that is all we are doing,” said Hanana.
“We’re building a strong mass movement and as it is we are campaigning now. We’re also getting ready for 2023 and building structures which are building branches. That is why our meetings are small meetings in rural setups, even in urban setups we meet small groups of people because we are building a party. We want people to understand what we want to do. We want to build a strong system and this is what you are doing.”
He added: “But one thing that I will say is that ZAPU has always done what is right for the people without being pressured by anyone to do it. So come 2023 I assure you that our party, through extensive consultation, will make a decision.”
