Online Reporter
Samuel Kadungure
Mutare Bureau
ZANU PF treasurer-general, Cde Patrick Chinamasa, said Constitutional Amendment Number 3 Bill is a done deal, having been endorsed by the majority of the citizens and the ruling party commanding a two-thirds majority in Parliament needed to pass it for Presidential assent.
Cde Chinamasa hailed the huge turnout for CAB3 in Manicaland and further explained that the Bill seeks to extend the Presidential, current parliamentary and local authorities’ terms to 2030.
“A hunter hunts with his own dogs, and what this means is that there are no elections in 2028. In 2023, the Government spent nearly US$200 million, and I will not mention how much the ruling party spent. All that money will now be saved and used elsewhere to develop the country.
“We went to war, fought for one-man one-vote, and we will all exercise that right to vote for MPs (Members of Parliament), who will in turn elect the President. A delimitation commission will be set up to draw new electoral boundaries.
“And voter registration will be moved from ZEC to the Registrar General’s office. The RG has all the records, including births, citizenship and deaths, putting everything under one roof and making the process more efficient,” he said.
Cde Chinamasa, who was addressing a CAB3 solidarity rally yesterday in Mutare, said ZANU PF was also computerising its cell membership data, which will enable the party to know its exact membership, and potentially unlock annual membership subscriptions.
“If we computerise cell membership, we will be able to know our exact database and can make money. At the moment, the party is surviving on donations from businessmen like Cdes Paul Tungwarara, Kudakwashe Tagwirei, Wicknell Chivayo and Scott Sakupwanya, who fortunately hail from Manicaland.
“As the treasurer-general of the party, I sat down with these businessmen and agreed that they channel their donations to the party, and be issued with receipts. When the money comes through my office, it will require three signatures to withdraw, to ensure transparency.
“We agreed with them that for any party to receive financial support, they should approach my office and be issued a receipt acknowledging such a donation.
“If they want the assistance to be publicised, the party will do that, but those who don’t want to be mentioned, their donations will be receipted in the President’s name.
“An audit will also be carried out on past empowerment funds to assess how the funds were used, and this will help us see who is faithful or not. The audit will also include all pledges so that the party and the President’s name are not brought into disrespect through unfulfilled promises,” he said.
Cde Chinamasa said plans were afoot to construct Kondo Dam, which has been stagnant for the past 46 years, while construction of Osborne Dam is supposed to be coupled with an irrigation scheme.
Central Committee member, Cde Paul Tungwarara, said empowerment has not been stopped, but its distribution structure is now being finalised.
“Previous empowerment was a disaster as it didn’t reach beneficiaries. It now has to be done through the party; all our contributions have to be through the treasurer-general to ensure transparency and accountability.
“You have heard it from the horse’s mouth. We want to thank the President for delivering on his promises and developing the country, which is why people are saying the President is going nowhere until 2030.
“This is why the Constitution is being amended. This didn’t start today; it has been there before. We want CAB3 to prevail. We don’t foresee anything that can stop the Bill because every citizen is happy,” he said.
On war veterans empowerment, he said the Presidential war veterans drilling rig is expected to operate as a business.
Cde Tungwarara said the business unit will invoice Prevail International, which was contracted by the Government to drill 35 000 boreholes across the country.
Prevail International will provide fuel and other borehole accessories.
Provincial chairman Cde Tawanda Mukodza said the party was united, and thanked the women, youth and war veterans leagues for covering everything blade in canvassing support for the CAB3 across the province.
Cde Mukodza also appealed for the completion of the Presidential Constituency Empowerment Fund in the three constituencies in Mutare District, which were on the verge of benefiting when the fund was abruptly stopped pending fine-tuning of its distribution modalities by the party.
Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza, chronicled some projects helping to grow the economy and Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Minister Mugadza said the signature project is the Christmas Pass Bypass Road, which will have two interchanges at its subsequent ends, warranting extension of the Presidential term to 2030.
He said the Government is in the process of constructing the Kondo Dam at the confluence of the Save and Mucheke rivers, which will be bigger than the Tugwi Mukosi Dam in Masvingo.
Secretary for War Veterans in the Politburo, Cde Douglas Mahiya, thanked President Mnangagwa for empowering war veterans.
“ZANU PF led that war, and has every right to do what it deems necessary to empower the people. CAB3 was long overdue, and we need to thank President Mnangagwa for that.
“ZANU PF has lost a lot of sons and daughters, and who are you to devalue that blood? ZANU PF has the authority of the spilt blood to rule this country, and CAB 3 is there to stay.
“President Mnangagwa should sign that Bill into law because nothing will happen. It’s the power of the blood. Same power that led to independence, land reform and now CAB3.
“The President is now empowering war veterans, having realised that not enough had been done to empower them after the war.
“Today, Manicaland has been empowered with a borehole drilling rig.
“The rate at which war veterans are dying is too serious. Disease is the major challenge, having been affected by chemical warfare,” said Cde Mahiya.
He said the rig will drill boreholes, district by district, with the blessing of their provincial leader, Cde Linda Matatu, beginning with Chipinge.
