Online Reporter
Zvamaida Murwira and Joseph Madzimure, Zimpapers Writers
ZANU-PF is a party of rules and discipline that must be adhered to at all times and will not tolerate selfish malcontents bent on pushing self-serving and narrow-minded agendas, President Mnangagwa has said.
The President stressed that the responsibilities and expectations are onerous on party leaders who should be more vigilant and guard against complacency, upholding unity at all times.
President Mnangagwa, who is also Zanu-PF First Secretary, said this while delivering a keynote address on the 130th Central Committee meeting held at the party headquarters in Harare yesterday.
“More is demanded of us, the leaders of the party. We are vigilant custodians of the revolutionary heritage; hence, I urge us to guard against complacency, division and ideological drift,” he said.
“We are a party of order and rules, which must be adhered to, at all times. Hakuna mazvake mazvake mumusangano. Tinotevera gwara remusangano. Mweya wa-rigioni wekutsauka mugwara ngautame, ngaupere, ngaupere-tu. The party has no room for malcontents and traitors who are bent on advancing self-seeking behaviours.”
President Mnangagwa said loyalty to the party must be beyond doubt among members.
“The journey ahead demands unity, discipline and unwavering commitment. As the Central Committee, we remain the vital cog of our party, Zanu-PF. At this critical stage of our socio-political and economic era, let us continue to provide pivotal leadership and guidance. Our individual and collective patriotism, loyalty to the party ideals and clarity of vision, must be unquestionable,” said President Mnangagwa.
He said the recent victories in the Nkulumane Constituency, Chikomba Rural District Council and Chegutu West’s Ward 1 and Matobo Ward 13 by-elections demonstrated the enduring trust Zimbabweans have in Zanu-PF.
“These victories are a result of consistent grassroots engagement, pro-people policies and the dedication of our party cadres. I commend all our structures who worked tirelessly to secure these political successes. However, we must not rest but persistently work harder, hand in hand with our people, to realise a higher quality of life,” he said.
On the economic front, President Mnangagwa applauded party membership for supporting the Government policies on value addition and beneficiation in line with the National People’s Conference resolutions adopted in Mutare last year.
“The value of our minerals and export earnings must impact our economy and be enjoyed by all of us, the people of Zimbabwe. On its part, Government and the private sector are closely collaborating towards innovative solutions to reduce overall economic vulnerability.
“Meanwhile, works to repair and rehabilitate damaged roads and bridges, caused by the incessant rainfall in some parts of the country, are underway. The general outlook of our agriculture sector is positive, with another bumper harvest expected from the summer crop.”
President Mnangagwa noted that the Central Committee meeting afforded an opportunity to review and recalibrate plans for the year.
“It is most opportune that we convene after the successful high-level Strategic Workshop held in Gweru. The importance of our party ideology, policies and programmes as well as discipline, conduct and decorum, which were amplified during that seminar, should continue to guide the work of the Central Committee and party leadership, going into the future,” he said.
The President highlighted that the responsibility to implement the decisions of the 22nd National People’s Conference held in Mutare last year, along with the National Development Strategy 2, remained the key pre-occupation of the party.
“This session (of the Central Committee) should, thus, see us aligning our programmes and priorities with the evolving aspirations of our people. At the same time, we should also respond decisively to the demands and opportunities presented by a rapidly changing national and global socio-economic environment,” he said.
President Mnangagwa encouraged Central Committee members to keep membership well mobilised and informed towards increasing production and productivity.
“We all bear the duty and responsibility to improve our quality of life, household by household and community by community,” he stated.
Zanu-PF should lead from the front and ensure that people remain focused, vigilant and resilient, said President Mnangagwa.
He emphasised that the determination, hard work, and willpower that enabled the Government to meet its NDS1 targets should be scaled up as it implements NDS2.
“I, further, call on the party to raise our national consciousness and patriotism, particularly against the wider shocks of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
“Let us ensure that our people remain motivated to implementing the ongoing national development agenda. I am deeply encouraged by the sound support prevailing in the party and the leadership’s ideological clarity that continues to define our great party.
“Our collective decisions, which are strengthening governance, unity and peace within both the party and nation, should never be compromised,” he stressed.
The President called for unity of purpose to advance national interests, reminding the Central Committee members that, “Zimbabwe inyika yedu”.
“Tisu vene vayo. Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatigwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi balo,” he noted.
He said convening of meetings of the Standing Committees of the Central Committee affords members the opportunity to engage in focused and in-depth deliberations on strategic issues of the party and Government.
The operationalisation of the Standing Committees, President Mnangagwa said, should buttress the capacity for policy coherence and accountability.
Further, the President called for the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of party resolutions and Government activities in a way that directly benefits ordinary persons.
Apart from that, President Mnangagwa emphasised that he expects the Committees to meet regularly, a practice that will deepen internal democracy, foster collective leadership and enhance the efficiency and responsiveness of party structures.
“It is by continuously modernising our systems that our revolutionary mass party, Zanu-PF, can remain forward-looking, people-centred and capable of effectively guiding the nation towards the full realisation of our shared national developmental Vision of an upper-middle-income society by 2030,” he said.
Yesterday’s Central Committee meeting was the first gathering of the organ since the beginning of the year, making it crucial in defining the party’s programmes for 2026.
