The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, still revelling from gaining 16 seats that belonged to the Movement for Democratic Change, has recalled three seats from its strongholds necessitating by-elections which should be announced soon.
ZANU-PF has recalled the seats for Ray Kaukonde of Marondera East, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti of Mwenezi East and David Butau of Mbire. The three were among the seven senior officials who were recently expelled from the party.
The party won all 16 seats in the 10 June by-elections including in Bulawayo and Harare, former MDC strongholds.
Though marked by low voter turnouts, t he party’s victory could mark its comeback if its legislators deliver and they have almost three years to do so.
Some ZANU-PF legislators who were believed to be mediocre before their election, like Joseph Chinotimba, have proved to be darlings of their constituencies by bringing development to their areas.
The expulsion of the three out of seven that were recently expelled seems to indicate that ZANU-PF has adopted a clear strategy to test the waters before taking action.
It has so far expelled a dozen former senior officials and suspended 141 but this was done in stages giving the impression that the party was deliberately staggering its actions to test the rebels who have threatened to start a party with a similar acronym.
Butau has been the Mujuru’s right hand man while Kaukonde has been said to be the main financier of the Mujuru faction.
Sources say that though he has been quiet, Kaukonde is the main force behind the former Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s faction.
But throughout history, ZANU-PF has demonstrated that no one, even its founding president Ndabaningi Sithole and incumbent Robert Mugabe, is bigger than the party.
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