By Agencies/Staff Writer
POLITICAL analysts have hailed the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader, Nelson Chamisa’s rural invasion strategy describing it as key in diluting the ruling Zanu-PF’s propaganda in such communities.
The main opposition leader ahead of the 2023 polls has departed from “preaching to the converted” urbanites, instead targeting remote areas which have been a springboard for the ruling party.
The CCC spokesperson, Fadzayi Mahere this week told the media that Chamisa was working flat out traversing the rural communities.
“Three rallies in Midlands province on Wednesday, starting with one at Chachacha business centre in Shurugwi.By mid-day he was at Mhandamabwe business centre in Chivi before ending the day in Zvishavane.
“President Chamisa has been on a campaign trail non-stop. These rallies are going to be predominantly in the rural areas,” Mahere said
On Sunday he is expected to address thousands of party supporters in the border town of Beitbridge.
Political Analysts told the media that Chamisa’s deliberate strategy to target the rural vote was timely.
“Rural areas are also where the democratic space is most constrained through a cocktail of measures that includes intimidation, violence, partisan traditional leadership and exclusionary welfare programmes,” political analyst Vivid Gwede said.
“Visibility by the opposition will break some of these barriers to its message being received by these communities.”
Another political commentator Effie Ncube said the rural vote could gift Chamisa the presidency.
“For the opposition the rural electorate has been its underbelly. It’s been underperforming otherwise it would have been in power,” Ncube said.
“Those are the people that have sustained Zanu PF’s stay in power, so if you want to undo Zanu PF’s stay in power you need to go into its base that is in the rural areas and get the votes there.”
Analyst Rashweat Mukundu weighed in saying: “Targeting rural communities gives such voting base assurance and confidence but also challenges Zanu PF more directly in an area it sees as its safe political turf.”
