By Takudzwa Changadeya
ZANU-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa has rubbished Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa’s claims that junior Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers were being ordered to vote ZANU PF in the coming elections.
The orders are allegedly being delivered by Chief Superintendents from ZRP’s Staff College at ‘ideology workshops’ underway across the country under the guise of civic education.
This follows after Chamisa held a press conference on Thursday saying forcing junior officers to vote ZANU PF was a clear indication that Mnangagwa was panicking.
“I get reports every day from those who are serving in our uniformed forces that they are getting what is called civic education, a programme which is trying to teach those institutions party issues,” he said.
In an exclusive interview with BustopTV, Mutsvangwa denounced the claims, saying Chamisa was just parroting because ZANU PF doesn’t force anyone to vote for it.
“We don’t force anyone to vote for our party because it’s unconstitutional.
“If Chamisa feels like he wants to campaign to both senior and junior ZRP officers, let him do so, it’s up to him,” he said.
He added that it doesn’t make any sense to force someone to vote for a certain party because when they go to the ballot box, they will go alone.
After being asked under what capacity senior officers force their juniors to vote for ZANU PF, ZRP spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi told this publication that he is not aware of anything pertaining to that.
In an interview with BustopTV, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Chief Elections Officer Utoila Silaigwana refused to comment as the commission doesn’t know if the allegations are true or not.
