About 200,000 former opposition members have reportedly joined ZANU PF under its Kumusha/Home/Ekhaya (KHE) programme in the past few years.
KHE is housed under the ZANU PF Commissariat Department and is being led by its director and former MDC Member of Parliament, Blessing Chebundo.
Speaking to The Sunday Mail, Chebundo said the department would continue to reach out to those in the opposition so that they join the ruling party. He said:
So far, we have 200,000 people in our books who have joined the ruling party from the opposition. In Mashonaland West, at least 6,000 people have joined the party.
ZANU PF Political Commissar Mike Bimha said the former opposition members should be welcomed with open arms. He said:
We want more people to come through to ZANU PF and from their testament, the Government, led by President Mnangagwa, is doing the right things to address people’s concerns.
The latest to join the party include opposition bigwigs in Mashonaland West province such as Gift Konjani, Takalani Matibe and Virginia Mafuta.
Speaking at a ceremony hosted for them in Chegutu on Saturday, the defectors said that they were won over by ZANU PF’s development-oriented policies. Konjana said:
My Damascene moment came when I took time to look at the environment and works being carried out since the coming of the Second Republic.
I realised that it was important to put my weight behind the work that was being done by President Mnangagwa.
Matibe, who is a former MDC Member of Parliament for Chegutu West constituency, said:
The mantra by President Mnangagwa, that of leaving no one and no place behind, made me realize that I should join the train toward development.
I realized that if I decided to stay in an environment of perpetual negativity, I would be the one to miss out while others were progressing.
The defection of opposition members to ZANU PF has weakened opposition parties’ political influence.
Internal divisions within opposition ranks have intensified as some members question the defections and the effectiveness of their leadership.
