President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Saturday said Zanu PF structures should prepare themselves for an influx of former opposition supporters after receiving hundreds in Harare.
In the hundreds was former Masvingo Urban Member of Parliament (MP) Tongai Matutu, late MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai's brother Collins and firebrand former Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) spokesperson Tatenda 'ZUJ' Mandondo.
Blessing Chebundo, a former MDC legislator who competed and beat Mnangagwa himself in elections, was also received despite having officially joined the party last year alongside ex-MDC Alliance Deputy Treasurer General Lillian Timveous.
Mnangagwa received new supporters as part of Zanu PF's Huyai Kumusha Come Home Buyanini Ekhaya Muze Kumunzi programme.
We have come back home for good after realizing that all other political parties are selfish and do not represent the interests of the people ofbthisbcountry but rather represent foreign interests pic.twitter.com/UZ1Lrid9mA
-- ZANU PF (@ZANUPF_Official) February 11, 2023
The presence of Matutu, who has over the past year been rooting for Zanu PF, was not as surprising as that of Mandondo or Collins.
Mandondo was part of the ZINASU executive that was led by Archibold Madida and proved to be a pain for the Zanu PF government.
Madida and Mandondo led and joined protests against the state's failure to respect student rights, raise civil servants' salaries and even spoke at opposition MDC Alliance gatherings, then under Nelson Chamisa's leadership.
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Images of Mandondo clad in Zanu PF regalia and brandishing a clenched fist at the event surprised many in opposition trenches.
Collins on the other hand comes from arguably Zimbabwe's royal family of opposition politics, with his brother having founded what was the country's largest opposing party at one point and fought Zanu PF to the grave.
His defection from the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC Alliance was confirmed last week.
"Go and tell people that the revolution is ongoing and unstoppable. Zanu PF chitima chakafanana nenzou inongopfuura pamusha ichingo famba ichingo famba," said Mnangagwa at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC) where his new supporters we received.
"Under Zanu PF there is no small idea that is excluded from helping to uplift our people. No one is more important than the other. Iye waunoshora anofema mweya waunofema.
"The Hebert Chitepo School of ideology must teach new members. The National Commissar must ensure that branches and cells prepare to receive new members."
Speaking at the event, Matutu assured Mnangagwa more supporters will be ditching various opposition outfits towards elections slated for either July or August.
