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Kennedy Mavhumashava in Harare
The Zanu-PF Politburo met here yesterday and agreed on the agenda and programme for the revolutionary party’s 14th Annual National People’s Conference which opened in earnest yesterday.
The conference ends on Saturday.
Normally, the annual event begins on the day when the party holds its last Politburo meeting of the year, but this time, that meeting was moved from Tuesday to yesterday because President Mugabe had travelled to South Africa to attend the funeral service of the former president of that country, Nelson Mandela.
Speaking to journalists after the Politburo meeting yesterday, party spokesman, Cde Rugare Gumbo said all was set for the conference at Chinhoyi University of Technology.
“We were just rounding up on the conference which has already started,” he said.
“We agreed on the programme and agenda for the conference. The Central Committee is meeting in Chinhoyi tomorrow (today) at the university hall and there will be a tree planting event.”
The theme for the conference is “Zim Asset: Growing the Economy for Empowerment and Employment.”
A Chronicle news crew visited the conference venue yesterday afternoon. Workmen were busy putting final touches to a huge tent pitched on the grounds of Chinhoyi University of Technology. The sprawling white, fire-proof marquee is fully carpeted and air-conditioned.
Security details and other officials were being deployed, while others were already in their positions. Ablution facilities were in place as well. Accreditation was in full swing at the Chinhoyi Institute of Training and Development, which is situated just to the west of the university. Delegates are expected to start arriving at the conference venue today ahead of the official opening of the five-day event by President Mugabe tomorrow.
Chinhoyi has been given a facelift with the main road leading into the small agricultural town from Harare, through to Chirundu having been rehabilitated and clearly marked.
“The agenda of the conference is out,” said Cde Gumbo.
“We also discussed the state of the party, finding out how strong the party is, the challenges the party is facing and what can be done to strengthen the party. When our people go to the conference, they must wear party regalia.”
It is likely to be a celebratory conference as it comes five months after Zanu-PF resoundingly won the July 31 harmonised elections. The revolutionary party won more than two thirds majority in Parliament; President Mugabe garnering more than 60 percent of the vote to beat rival, MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai.
The Politburo, said Cde Gumbo, also discussed the death of liberation icon, Cde Eric Nyakudya Gwanzura on Monday and unanimously agreed to declare him a national hero. He is likely to be buried at the National Heroes Acre on Sunday.
Cde Gwanzura (89), who was a classmate of President Mugabe at Kutama, was detained for long periods for his political activism and was a member of delegations that negotiated for national independence in the late 1970s to places like Geneva.
“We recognise his contribution to the liberation struggle and trade unionism,” he said.
Apart from his contribution in the making of Zimbabwe, Cde Gwanzura, a builder by training and trade, together with his younger brother, Phanuel played a big role in the construction of Gwanzura Stadium. The sports venue is named after Phanuel Gwanzura.
Cde Eric Nyakudya Gwanzura was born on 23 October 1924 in Zvimba. He studied at Kutama and later Waddilove where he trained as a builder. He was involved in the building of Usher School in Matabeleland South.
He was a founder member of the National Democratic Party together with the likes of the late Dr Samuel Parirenyatwa and Cdes George Silundika and Jason Ziyapapa Moyo.
The former Zanu-PF Central Committee member also served as a senator between 1985 and 1990.
He was a founder member of the National Democratic Party together with the likes of the late Dr Samuel Parirenyatwa and Cdes George Silundika and Jason Ziyapapa Moyo.
Online Reporter