No confidence votes: President spot on

Mukachana Hanyani Correspondent
ZANU-PF should take seriously President Mugabe`s statement outlining how no confidence votes can be carried out professionally without causing disunity in the party. While others would think that suspending or dismissing other people from ZANU-PF through votes of no confidence is the way to go, this exercise should not be a way of settling personal scores.

While addressing the ZANU-PF National Consultative Assembly in Harare on 10 June 2016, President Mugabe made it clear that some of the votes of no confidence against party members were not procedurally done. The President said that votes of no confidence should be made in a situation where one fails to carry out properly his/her duties as assigned by the party.

The President encouraged the freedom of association among individuals in the country by denouncing those who rushed to carry out votes of no confidence on party cadres merely because one was seen drinking beer or associating with members of a different party or association.

He made it clear that such a scenario was wrong as it was breeding divisions in a country where unity is needed. The President`s sentiments came at a time when ZANU-PF`s National Disciplinary Appeals Committee (NDAC) was grappling with appeals from members who were suspended from the revolutionary party through such votes of no confidence which were made soon after the party’s December 2014 People’s Congress that was held in Harare.

In a related development, a few weeks ago Dr Ignatius Chombo, the revolutionary party`s Secretary for Administration, made it clear in Chinhoyi, while addressing ZANU-PF supporters that due processes should be taken in reaching a vote of no confidence against party members.

He called for party members to carry out thorough investigations before one is voted out. Dr Chombo went on to discourage party members from carrying out no confidence votes against members on the grounds of “frivolous and unsubstantiated” claims as that could turn out to be counterproductive to the development of the party.

Now marrying President Mugabe`s statement with what Dr Chombo said should make those with ears to hear what the leaders of the revolutionary party want.

It is prudent for all party structures and members to act properly when it comes to taking disciplinary actions against those found violating the party`s constitution. ZANU-PF members and supporters should embrace what the top leadership stands for, so that there are no problems caused by haphazard no confidence votes against each other.

So ZANU-PF should take President Mugabe`s and Dr Chombo`s statements seriously and start preaching unity for its members and for all unresolved problems to be settled for the good of the revolutionary party. While it is necessary for the party to take disciplinary action against those suspected and alleged to be on the wrong side of its guiding principles and ideologies, the exercise should be taken with care to avoid further divisions in the party. ZANU-PF is a bigger institution than individuals’ interests, hence it should not be used by a few individuals who are there to settle political scores against supposed adversaries.

There have been overzealous individuals within the revolutionary party who were using votes of no confidence against each other as a way of settling personal scores. Such individuals should now focus on what the President said.

Votes of no confidence should not be abused as there is a danger of creating disunity instead of harmony in the ruling party. It should be noted that unity is very critical, especially when the opposition front is now talking of a coalition to take head on the mighty ZANU-PF in the 2018 harmonised elections.

It is time the revolutionary party should be seized with the full implementation of the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset) so that the 2013 harmonised election manifesto is fulfilled.

ZANU-PF cannot afford to waste time on dealing with who should take this and that political position, while the economy is deteriorating at an alarming rate. The electorate is closely monitoring developments in the ruling party with keen interest. As such, time for political fights for positions in the ruling party is over.

People must focus more on the implementation of Zim-Asset.