By Margaret Kamba 

ZANU PF National Political Commissar Cde Mike Bimha says there is a need to have ZANU PF candidates acquiring the proper ideological training. 

His remarks were made during a press briefing held in Bulawayo this Tuesday morning.

This follows a tour of the Matabeleland South, Matabeleland South and Bulawayo Provinces where by-elections are scheduled for the 9th of December 2023.

"There is a need to ensure that our candidates have the appropriate ideological training and in the process to ensure that the generality of our membership are also in the same vein," Cde Bimha said.

"There is a need to ensure that the people we ask to assist us in this process, in other words, the Polling agents are also trained so that they know what they are expected to do."

Cde Bimha added that "a lot of progress has been made. Our teams are already on the ground. We are happy with the preparations so far and the involvement of everyone in the structures to make sure that we register victory."

Meanwhile Politburo member and Principal of the Chitepo School of Ideology Cde Munyaradzi Machacha says His Excellency President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa is the chief ideologist. 

"We believe every election is a contest not just of ideas for political power but also the ideological contest between our progressive socialist ideology of ZANU PF and the anarchist ideology of the opposition," Cde Machacha said.

"We therefore wanted to make our candidates know that our President, His Excellency President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa is our chief ideologist and has made philosophical statements which simplify our socialist ideology for every person or citizen to be able to understand and internalize that ideology and participate in the struggle to liberate our people economically and to make sure that Zimbabwe is truly an independent, sovereign state which is ruled according to the wishes and goals of this nation and not any other."