ZANU PF on Tuesday held a campaign meeting at Gungauta village in Muusha area in Chimanimani West in defiance of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) 's directive that all campaigning activities should not extend beyond Monday midnight.

In a recent statement, ZEC said, "the last day of campaigns is the 21st of August 2023 at 11.59 pm".

On Tuesday morning, the ruling party convened a meeting at Gungauta village in ward 16 which was addressed by the party's youth chairperson Tinashe Nyabanga.

During the meeting, Nyabanga ordered all opposition supporters in the area to fake blindness on voting day so they would be "assisted" to cast their votes.

"Zanu PF this morning held a meeting at Gungauta ward and identified 10 villagers including teachers whom he said should be assisted to vote because they are suspected to be CCC members.

"Nyabanga said those who defy the order will be excluded from the list of beneficiaries of government food and agricultural inputs schemes," said a villager who attended the meeting.

The villager who refused to be named for fear of victimization said Nyabanga also threatened to assault the "suspects" if Zanu PF loses in the ward.

"Nyabanga has been terrorizing us for the past three months. He openly boasts that he is above the law and no one can do anything to him," added another villager.

When reached for comment Nyabanga confirmed the meeting and threats but said he had been sent by his superiors.

"It is true the meeting in question happened but I was sent by the chairman," he said.