#ElectionsZW: I am campaigning at weddings and funerals, says Munyanduri
New Patriotic Front (NPF) leader Tendai Munyanduri says he will contest in the 2023 general elections and has already devised campaign strategies to outwit Zanu PF and MDC.
Munyanduri who contested and lost in the 2018 Presidential election said he is preaching his messages wherever there are people gathered.
He said he will also use various social media platforms so that his message can reach far and wide.
‘’I definitely intend to participate in the 2023 general elections as well as field candidates for the 210 Parliamentary seats. I am mainly relying on political evangelism or political preaching in buses, banks, passport office queues or wherever people are gathered for example at weddings and funerals to get my message across to the electorate.
‘’Social media marketing for example WhatsApp marketing, email marketing as well as Twitter and Facebook marketing are also being done by my political party in order to outwit traditional parties like Zanu PF and MDC,’’ he said.
Munyanduri who says he is an engineer by profession added that he will soon be embarking on flyer distribution across the country.
‘’I also want to embark on a flyer distribution program, of course, I would be happy to get publicity in the print and electronic mainstream media. I am also using workmates, neighbours, and relatives as a springboard for launching my message in Zimbabwe’s population,’’ he said.
Munyanduri proposed electoral reforms to POLAD
In terms of the topical issue of electoral reforms, Munyanduri says he has made his proposals to POLAD, Zanu PF and MDC.
He said he is not sure if they will consider them. Munyanduri also wants ZEC to bring election stakeholders together so that they can talk about the dos and don’ts of elections.
‘’I have made my input to POLAD, Zanu PF and MDC on my proposed electoral and constitutional reforms. I do not know whether they will be favourably considered.
‘’ZEC should ensure that all stakeholders or organizations that can affect the campaigning atmosphere like soldiers, police, CIOs, army, political parties, religious organizations and traditional leaders are brought to the same table in order to talk about the electoral do’s and don’ts.
‘’Currently, there is election-fixing by mainstream print media, security forces, partisan administration of government departments and parastatals in favour of lawyers (Emmerson) Mnangagwa, (Nelson) Chamisa and (Douglas) Mwonzora in a country of more than 20 professions.
‘’Only lawyers are being given front page coverage. The police arrests people who are trying to spread their political messages. I was arrested twice and spent a night in Harare Central Police Station cells for doing political evangelism in bank queues.
‘’I was charged with, ‘Criminal nuisance’ and made to pay a fine of ZW$500. When we try to distribute flyers, we are harassed by CIOs and PISI (Police Intelligence). This is election-result-fixing in favour of lawyers.
‘’We recommended that the Political Parties Finance Act be modified to ensure that everyone on the ballot paper gets campaign finance, or the 5% requirement be scraped to ensure fairness,’’ he said.
The NPF leader also revealed that he has since written about six books during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The books touch on various issues that include engineering among others.
‘’I have written six textbooks during the lockdown. These are available in most bookshops in Harare.
‘’Some of the books include Power System Planning, Solar Energy and World Modernization, Telecommunications and Digital Signal Processing, The History of Southern Africa, Zimbabwe’s liberation Struggle and Independence, The life sciences and the Corona Virus and The secret to success,’’ he said.
#ElectionsZW: I am campaigning at weddings and funerals, says Munyanduri
