Zanu PF blames parastatals for loss in elections

MUTARE - The Zanu PF leadership in Manicaland Province has accused the police force and parastatals for being responsible for their party's dismal performance in the March 29 elections.
Some government institutions also came under fire from the Zanu PF leadership.
They say parastatals and key government institutions withheld their services towards the crucial polls resulting in voters "turning against" Zanu PF.
President Mugabe's party lost 18 of the 26 seats during the March 29 polls. The MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai also got a much bigger chunk of the votes in the province.
Six Cabinet Ministers fell by the wayside during the poll. They are Oppah Muchinguri, Mike Nyambuya, Patrick Chinamasa, Joseph Made, Munacho Mutezo and Chris Mushowe.
At a meeting to review Zanu PF 's performance during the March 29 polls and to strategize for the presidential run – off several party members blamed parastatals and government institutions for the dismal performance.
Parastatals and government institutions that came under fire includes the Grain Marketing Board (GMB), Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA), Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and the Mutare City Council.
Interestingly, the organizations are led and manned by individuals widely believed and known to be Zanu PF activists.
The super-charged meeting was held at the government complex, which houses the offices of the provincial governor, the provincial administrator, the Central Intelligence Organisation and other key government offices.
At the meeting Esau Mupfumi, a Zanu PF central committee member and losing candidate for the Mutare senatorial seat, "We have discovered that some parastatals are now working with foreign forces to unseat President Mugabe. We should all go to the run – off knowing what we fought for. We are now giving leaders of these parastatals up to Wednesday to mend things. We want to find ways of improving service delivery."
Power utility, Zesa, was accused of sabotaging Zanu PF because of its high bills and incessant power cuts.
"To us this is sabotage," said Cecilia Gambe, a senior Zanu PF official in Mutare, "How can electricity be switched off in critical areas like hospitals?"
Gambe said by switching off electicity at places such as Dangamvura Clinic which houses a maternity wing Zesa was sabotaging Zanu PF.
Other Zanu PF members blamed ZINWA for Mutezo's defeat in Chimanimani. The officials said ZINWA's poor billing and poor service delivery affected Mutezo and President Mugabe during the elections.
The police was accused of sympathizing with the MDC and supplying them with key and sensitive information during the campaign. The GMB was blamed for not availing enough maize meal to use for campaigning.
The Mutare City Council, which is run by a commission appointed by Ignatius Chombo, was accused of failing to provide a proper service delivery to residents and also corruption.