adminCletus Mushanawani News Editor
MANICALAND province is now having a breath of fresh air following the sacking from party and Government positions of Cde Didymus Mutasa, who regarded himself as the godfather of the province, a senior Zanu-PF official has said. Addressing delegates to the Manicaland provincial co-ordinating committee meeting held at Mutare Polytechnic College on Monday, the acting provincial chairman, Dr Samuel Undenge, said ZANU-PF Manicaland leadership has declared 2015 as a year for transformation for the party in the province as it moves towards self-sustenance.
“Gone are the days of dictatorship in Manicaland where we had a godfather who expected everyone to kneel down before him.
“We are now focused and we need to work on projects that develop our province and the country economically.
“Industries have closed down in Manicaland, but as a party we do not want to be found wanting.
“We have decided to be a creator of employment and plans are already at an advanced stage to secure land for the development of a diamond and cutting centre in Manicaland.
“We cannot continue watching our resources being used to develop other areas. Zanu-PF should be an employer and not perennial beggars. There is donor fatigue out there and gone are the days of moving around with begging bowls,” said Dr Undenge.
He said the province was also in the process of identifying land for the construction of conference facilities that would also be hired out to individuals with big events.
“We are working with the local authority in identifying the ideal land for the construction of conference facilities. We cannot afford to be tenants any more, yet the party has big brains among its rank and file,” he said. Speaking at the same occasion, the party’s national commissar, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, called for unity of purpose among party cadres.
“Comrades, let us do what we were doing yesterday. Manicaland has a problem because it moves like a sea. We have one leader in President Mugabe and why should we follow individuals? There are no godfathers in politics. We should know that President Mugabe is God-given and those trying to mislead you in not following him are more like saying you should pray to idols. We should not be willing tools in destabilising the party and the nation at large.
“Unity is far better than divisions. We do not want to keep Zanu-PF Manicaland divided. Let us bury our differences and reunite. All party programmes must be co-ordinated through that party chairperson. MPs, Central Committee and Politburo members must brief the chairperson about party programmes. That is the way of doing things in Zanu-PF. Zanu-PF is for all of us. It is not a party for the Nyati clan only,” he added, apparently referring to disgraced former secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa.
Cde Kasukuwere said there was no vacancy in the Presidium.
“Let President Mugabe do his work freely because we agreed as Zimbabweans to give him a new mandate in 2013. As a party we repeated that again during our last December 6th National People’s Congress.
“Youths, you should not be willing tools. You should not be used by individuals for selfish gains because of your love for money. Some of you were part of the infamous Tsholotsho meeting and you were also part of the gamatox crusade, why?”
He said Manicaland contributed immensely to the liberation struggle and was rewarded accordingly through the appointments of the likes of Cdes Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Patrick Chinamasa, Chris Mushohwe, Dr Joseph Made, Supa Mandiwanzira, Samuel Undenge and Monica Mutsvangwa to positions of influence in the party and Government.
He called on the province to support its ministers for the betterment of Manicaland and the nation at large.
“We want the party to change focus. We must not waste time looking for faults or fighting. I came to Manicaland to build the party, not to remove anyone from their positions.
“I know word doing rounds was that Kasukuwere was coming to dissolve the provincial structures. I came to Manicaland to unite the party,” said Cde Kasukuwere.
Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri said Zanu-PF Manicaland was undergoing rebranding.
“We might have erred and took the wrong route in the past. We are sorry. We have changed direction and rebranding Zanu-PF Manicaland. We know of people who were part of the Gamatox bandwagon who are now jumping ship claiming credit. We know them, but this should be time for self-audit, self-introspection because Zanu-PF has a tendency of eating its own eggs,” said Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri.
“Today it is Joice Mujuru, Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa, but tomorrow it might be you if you are not careful. We must be one family with one vision. We do not want leaders who call people secretly PaGomo like Didymus,” she said, referring to Mutasa’s habit of holding clandestine meeting at his hilltop house in Rusape.
Cde Muchinguri hailed Cde Undenge’s leadership, saying he had managed to bring order and sanity in meetings.
She took a dig at former provincial chairman, Cde John Mvundura, for personalising and using emotions during party meetings.
“The meetings had no agenda. They were so personal. It was Muchinguri from start to end. I had a torrid moment in this province during his tenure of office.
“Maybe it was because he was too educated. It was him talking throughout, and you would wonder,” said Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri.
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