adminimposition of candidates.”
All the provinces were represented at this watershed conference that endorsed 2013 as Zanu-PF’s year of electoral victory.
For this to be achieved, surely there should be some consequences to members bent on fanning intra-party violence and imposing their will on others, which is against the spirit of party democracy.
It is against this backdrop that factionalism becomes a cancerous disease that Zanu-PF needs to nip in the bud for the revolutionary party to remain united and a formidable force that will resoundingly win the forthcoming elections.
The reports that there are some senior party officials in some provinces that are tearing each other apart in a desperate attempt to control these areas is disturbing and calls for the party to deal with this problem once and for all.
The news at the weekend that Zanu-PF dispatched a three-man team led by its national chairman Cde Simon Khaya-Moyo to resolve challenges being faced by the party in Manicaland province is a welcome development.
This follows a Politburo resolution last Thursday that some investigations be conducted in the province to establish the causes of problems with the intention of finding a lasting solution.
The team comprised Cde Khaya-Moyo, national political commissar Cde Webster Shamu and Cde Kembo Mohadi, who was reportedly standing in for Cde Sydney Sekeramayi.
Secretary for Administration Cde Didymus Mutasa is also part of the team, though he is said to be at the centre of the probe pitting himself and another faction led by women’s league boss Cde Oppah Muchinguri.
The revolutionary party adopted a zero tolerance to factionalism and this scourge led to the dissolution of District Co-ordinating Committees in June last year after this structure became a source of conflict that was used by some senior officials to sow divisions in the party.
Surely, the revolutionary party should decisively deal with these problems otherwise we might have another Bhora Musango syndrome like what happened in 2008 resulting in the party failing to defeat the MDC-T at the first round of polls, leading to the formation of the inclusive Government.
As the party prepares to hold the primary elections to choose representatives during the harmonised elections this year, we commend it for descending hard on people who are allegedly causing factionalism in Manicaland province.
However, for the probe team to be taken seriously by party members belonging to all feuding camps, it should conduct itself beyond reproach and accord all sides the opportunity to air their views.
The people should never be threatened with some unspecified actions for freely telling the investigating team what they think should be addressed in the province for the party to remain strong.
If the people are threatened, the party will be forced to act on wrong things.
Said Cde Khaya Moyo, “I do not have the powers to fire anyone. As a committee, we were just sent to Manicaland to listen to what the people were saying, compile a report that we will send to the President and Politburo for recommendations.”
The problems in Manicaland are not peculiar to that area only and we welcome reports that after that the Cde Khaya Moyo team will descend on Harare to solve the challenges being faced.
There are problems in nearly all the provinces and just last week the party announced that Cde Callistus Ndlovu will be substantive chairman of Bulawayo province, taking over from Cde Killian Sibanda who becomes his deputy.
Given that most of the provinces failed to deliver during the 2008 harmonised elections, we call upon the party to ensure that the primary elections will be conducted in a manner which will produce candidates of repute that will compete and win against the MDC formations.
The fallen comrades during the liberation struggle died for the democracy that we are enjoying today and it is against this background that all the people who meet the party’s election criterion should be allowed to contest the polls once the rules and regulations are in place.
Zanu-PF must come out much stronger and united after this probe and defeat the Western-backed puppets once and for all.
It should be borne in mind that because its policies resonate with the majority of the people, many want to be associated with Zanu-PF and represent it either in local authorities or in Parliament.
But not everyone can represent the party in Parliament or local councils, and that is why those who will not make it in the primary elections must bury the hatchet, shake hands with the winners and campaign for the party in the harmonised elections.
Online Reporter