On Sunday 16 July 2023, the ruling political party, ZANU PF, conducted a rally in Masvingo Province to drum up support for President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the party ahead of the harmonised elections scheduled for August 23. Following the event, President Mnangagwa conveyed his appreciation to the attendees via Twitter. In a post seen by Pindula News, he expressed gratitude to those who came out to support the rally, and extended his thanks to the community of Masvingo.
President Mnangagwa emphasized the significance of peace for the nation, and highlighted that the ongoing political campaign has been conducted in a peaceful manner. He also noted that the overwhelming support for ZANU PF is a reflection of the party’s dedication to serving the country. He said:
Many of you came out to support today. Masvingo ndatenda The most important thing for our country is peace. Since we started this campaign there has been peace. We have shown the overwhelming support for Zanu PF because the people know that we are working for this country.
Some government critics are claiming that the people who attended the rally were brought in by buses from different provinces to deceive the public into believing that the political party had significant support.