LOCAL Government Minister July Moyo has urged Zanu PF supporters to rise up and defend the country in the 2023 plebiscite by voting for President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Moyo was speaking at the burial of State Security Minister Owen Ncube’s sister Letwin who passed on in Kwekwe last week.

The late Letwin was also mother to Zanu PF Kwekwe Central parliamentary aspirant Energy (Dhala) Ncube.

However, Moyo told mourners gathered the 2023 elections were in defence for the country.

“As we go into the polls I would like to urge you to vote in peace. As a party we are faced with internal democratic elections in let’s vote in peace not losing sight of the major goal of 2023 elections,” he said.

Zanu PF is holding provincial coordinating committee elections, which have turned out to be violent in most provinces.

“However, through the coming 2023 elections, we have to rise and defend our country. We defend our country by voting for President Mnangagwa who is our presidential candidate for the elections,” the mourners were told.

Turning to the State Security Minister, Moyo said the Ncube family had a well-known history in Zanu PF.

“The family of Minister Ncube has a known political history within the governing Zanu PF party dating back to before 1980. “It is a family which held various local leadership positions within the party including the now deceased (Letwin),” he said.

Moyo said Minister Ncube was well known by members of the Joint Operations Command (JOC) even before rising to national prominence.

“Every JOC member who passed through Midlands province knew Mudha (Ncube).”