The party is unhappy with Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee’s intention to monitor the polls.
Zanu-PF is unhappy with the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (Jomic) and wants its wings clipped because of a proposal it has made to donors, the Mail & Guardian can reveal.
Jomic was established under the unity government and comprises officials from Zanu-PF and the two formations of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) to monitor the implementation of the unity agreement.
Jomic insiders said that senior Zanu-PF officials, who are involved in Jomic, came across a proposal to donors that detailed plans by Jomic to be represented in all 9 400 polling stations by three members at each polling centre.
In the proposal, Jomic sought funding and suggested that six vehicles be allocated per province to ensure the elections are monitored effectively. Sources at Jomic said the committee has been chronicling incidents of political disturbances, and this has upset Zanu-PF. The party fears Jomic might expose irregularities related to the poll.
MDC officials who spoke to the M&G said Jomic's capacity to monitor the whole country and its request for further assistance is also rattling Zanu-PF.
Wanting to end Jomic's role
Jomic has in its employ provincial liaison officers, 10 provincial administrators, 10 assistant provincial administrators and six youth provincial liaison officers, as well as more than 100 4×4 vehicles that could enable it to monitor the polls.
"Zanu-PF says Jomic's role must come to an end when elections are announced so it should not give reports after the results," said a Jomic insider who asked not be identified.
"What is scaring Zanu-PF further is that Jomic is one of the few bodies set up under the global political agreement that is highly respected by the Southern African Development Community (SADC)secretariat. Zanu-PF fears Jomic might expose its shenanigans ahead of elections and during elections."
Qhubani Moyo of the MDC, who sits on Jomic, said he was aware of efforts to frustrate Jomic's work, but referred questions to party secretary general Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, the chair of Jomic. She was unavailable for comment.
Thabitha Khumalo of the MDC, who also sits on Jomic, said her party was aware of machinations to collapse the body, but also referred this reporter to Misihairabwi-Mushonga.
While Zanu-PF representatives in Jomic were not immediately available to comment on the issue, the party's deputy information director, Psychology Maziwisa, said: "We believe the claims are nonsensical and coming from the MDC. But it should be noted that everything that came into life when the coalition government was formed must naturally die with the coalition government."
SADC team
He said the MDC is just politicking by claiming Zanu-PF wants to collapse Jomic.
"We [Zanu-PF] believe we have done all that is necessary to hold a free and fair credible election," Maziwisa said.
The Jomic board is co-chaired by Nicholas Goche (Zanu-PF), Elton Mangoma (MDC-T) and Misihairabwi-Mushonga of the smaller MDC. Other board members include Jonathan Moyo, Oppah Muchinguri and Patrick Chinamasa, all from Zanu-PF. It also includes Thabitha Khumalo, Elias Mudzuri and Innocent Changonda of the MDC-T, and from the smaller MDC faction it has Frank Chamunorwa and Paul Themba Nyathi.
On two occasions last month, Zanu-PF refused to allow the SADC mediating team to sit in on Jomic meetings, arguing that it would be interfering in national issues.
It has also come to light that Jomic has written to the SADC team, insisting that the team seconded to the body by the SADC's 2011 Maputo summit be allowed to sit in on Jomic meetings.
Last week the state-controlled daily, the Herald, accused the body of changing its mandate from being a monitor of the unity agreement to wanting to become a national monitor, as well as seeking to illegally extend its life beyond that of the coalition government.