CCC supporters have allegedly infiltrated ZANU PF constituency WhatsApp groups to campaign for their leader Nelson Chamisa, reported NewsDay.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa reportedly created scores of constituency-based WhatsApp groups after secretly obtaining voters’ mobile numbers and would post his campaign messages in the groups to lure voters.
But CCC members reportedly joined the same WhatsApp groups which were open to all registered voters and started campaigning for Chamisa and trolling ZANU PF.
The description of one of the ZANU PF WhatsApp groups was later changed to Chamisa Chete Chete (Chamisa only).
ZANU PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa accused CCC supporters of cyber-bullying, saying this will however not affect voting patterns. He was quoted by NewsDay as saying:
We are being trolled. They are infiltrating our software. The WhatsApp groups were created by some ZANU PF members who wanted to interact with the people on behalf of the President. We have the support of people. Cyber war games against ZANU PF won’t work.
It will not affect the outcome of the poll. There are hardly a million on social media. The majority of Zimbabweans don’t have smartphones, especially in rural areas so social media won’t be effective to remove ZANU PF. Social media is not our main battlefront. It is just a sideshow.
CCC CCC youth spokesperson Stephen “Sarkozy” Chuma told NewsDay that Mutsvangwa’s outbursts show that CCC has become the dominant party. Chuma said:
It shows the dominance of our party. The social, political and economic crisis that is bedevilling the country has no political boundaries.
It is affecting everyone regardless of political affiliation. That is why everyone has become CCC. In the end, change is inevitable.
Mnangagwa has been sending unsolicited constituency-based campaign SMS messages to voters and asking them to join his WhatsApp groups.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ) have been accused of leaking details of registered voters to ZANU PF.
ZEC officials categorially denied giving ZANU PF citizens personal data, including phone numbers.
More: Pindula News