Online Reporter
Zimpapers Reporters
PRESIDENT and Zanu-PF First Secretary Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to present the Government’s worksheet during the ongoing Zanu-PF Annual People’s Conference currently underway in Mutare, Manicaland Province.
The conference offers an opportunity for the revolutionary party’s membership to interrogate developments over the past year, as Zanu-PF continues with its efforts to meet the aspirations of Zimbabweans.
Speaking at a Press conference yesterday, Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Chris Mutsvangwa said the gathering is a periodic review of party activities since the last gathering.
“The conference is basically an annual review of the work of the party in the interim period between the congresses,” he said.
Cde Mutsvangwa noted that the Zanu-PF Congress outlines the broad policies of the party, while the Politburo and Central Committee administer its affairs during the five-year intervals between congresses.
“But the party is a private citizen. It is not a governmental entity. The governance of the party is done, of the country is done through elected representatives who are fielded by Zanu-PF, including its President, not against any other political parties or formations which may want to be leaders of Zimbabwe,” he said.
Highlighting the party’s revolutionary credentials, Cde Mutsvangwa said:
“We are not a revolutionary party, which says from the bullet to the office. We are a revolutionary party, which created new grounds and precedents in global affairs to say a revolutionary national liberation movement is only capable of accepting to be adjudicated by the electorate of that party, by the population of that country, who can become the rulers.
“It’s a tradition, which Southern Africa has since adopted, but the pallbearer, the pioneer to that tradition, is Zanu-PF.”
Cde Mutsvangwa described the annual conference as a crucial platform where members can hold the leadership to account.
“So, it is very important that we have this annual peace conference every year because it gives a chance for the membership of the party to question what has been going on in that particular year as we strive to fulfil our compact, our covenant with the people of Zimbabwe.
“And the President will be there to give the worksheet of what the government has been doing. The Government was delegated by Zanu-PF to rule on its behalf. So, the Government rules on behalf of Zanu PF because we have to satisfy the electoral aspects of our constitution.
“Zanu-PF does not rule on behalf of the Government, but we need to supervise this work of the ministers. We need to supervise the work of the President. We need to supervise the work of the Government agencies delegated by the constitution to fulfill the wishes of Zimbabwe.
“And what are the wishes?
“The wishes of Zimbabwe are to get a better life,” he said.
The party, he added, takes its mandate seriously and understands the consequences of failure.
“Zanu-PF takes seriously its assignment to the people of Zimbabwe because if it does not fulfil that prospect of a better life, it will be voted out of power.
“That is why Zanu-PF is so particular.
“That is why these meetings, the annual prospects, are very important because we need to take a step.
“Otherwise, we suffer the fate of other liberation movements, which will be challenged severely to be almost driven out of power.
“In fact, we will also face in the past when we get challenges because the electorate feels otherwise about us.
“So, this annual prospect conference is very important on the calendar and there will be more than 2,000 to 3,000 delegates from all the provinces,” he said.
Cde Mutsvangwa said attendees represent various party structures and bring with them a wealth of grassroots experience.
“They represent the provincial structures.
“They represent the district structures. They represent the inter-district structures which are superior and they represent the cells, the branches of the party and they represent the cells.
“We are a party that is from the bottom-up structure to the top.
“We just don’t come from nowhere.
“We just don’t come from nowhere. We come from those structures and this is owed to our national liberation war because we had to organise the people to overcome the menacing organisational ascendance of the British,” he said.
He also noted a renewed sense of optimism within the party following recent Central Committee and Politburo deliberations.
“We are very happy on that note to say, according to what comes from the Central Committee, according to what comes from the Politburo, the governance worksheet is offering continuing hope for the people.
“Hope may have almost died by 2017. It has been revived. It is growing. It is alive among Zimbabweans. There is a new can-do spirit among Zimbabweans.
“That can-do spirit of a people who faced the most formidable challenge of the colonial, anti-colonial war, created a modern army and were victorious against the most capable empire of the world,” he said.
