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from its structures.
Speaking in separate meetings with the party’s senior leadership in Bulawayo and Lupane, provincial party leaders said the dissolution of DCCs was a milestone in the history of the revolutionary party.
They said the decision will breathe a new lease of life to the party ahead of the forthcoming harmonised general elections.
The high-powered delegation led by the National Secretary for Administration, Cde Didymus Mutasa, met Zanu-PF Matabeleland North provincial leaders in Lupane in the morning and the Bulawayo leadership later in the day.
In his brief addresses in the provinces, Cde Mutasa said the senior party leadership had resolved to remove the DCC structure in its constitution after realising that its existence was no longer promoting party growth.
“I brought you a message from the senior party leadership that the DCC structure has been removed from our constitution. The Central Committee has already endorsed the decision and President Mugabe has tasked us to go to the provinces and explain that decision,” said Cde Mutasa.
“Yesterday, we were in the Midlands on a similar mission. We are not here as a Central Committee and we therefore do not expect anyone to ask questions that need to be answered by the Central Committee. I was surprised in the Midlands when some leaders asked questions that were not supposed to be directed at us.”
Cde Mutasa assured party members that the removal of DCCs was going to invigorate party operations. He said the move would curb abuse of power by senior officials and empower ordinary party members to make proper choices of their leaders.
“As a party, we resolved that we should stop this abuse and do things that please the majority,” said Cde Mutasa, adding: “From now on the province will do the work that was done by the DCCs. You should go to every district, work with the people and mobilise support for the party in branches and cells. It is people in those grassroot levels that matter most. From now on the party will grow stronger and soar to greater heights.”
In her acceptance speech on behalf of the Matabeleland North Province, Politburo Member and MP for Nkayi North, Cde Sithembiso Nyoni said the province was pleased with the party’s decision.
“Zanu-PF is a revolutionary party that should keep on advancing. The decision is a way of revitalising and unifying the party. We have visionary party leaders who have been tried and tested and if they give us directives, it means they are well thought out and fit for the success of the party,” said Cde Nyoni.
“From now on, as a province, we will go to the people and build the party to make it stronger. We cherish the wisdom of our leaders and what the party stands for.”
Matabeleland North provincial spokesperson Cde Jonathan Mathuthu concurred, saying the dissolution of DCCs would revitalise the party.
In Bulawayo, there was a lot of excitement when Cde Mutasa arrived with his delegation at around 5pm.
Party members who were already packed in the party’s Davies Hall offices burst into song and dance to welcome their leaders.
The members listened attentively as Cde Mutasa explained that some party members were finding it difficult to accept the decision.
He said at some point some leaders insinuated that the Politburo and the Central Committee erred with some even saying the two decision-making bodies were the ones that needed to be dissolved.
The entire house burst into laughter when one of the members asked what would happen to those that were elected into DCC offices.
Cde Mutasa briefly responded, saying such members were now required to work with the provincial leadership as ordinary members.
The meeting ended with Politburo Member Cde Angeline Masuku expressing gratitude that the party’s senior leadership had reached out to the province to explain the issue.
“We are grateful that you have come to give us this message. We are the witnesses of what has happened and as Bulawayo, we will now go to the ground and build the party. This is the time for us to revive our operations,” she said amid applause.
Cde Mutasa was accompanied by war veterans leader Cde Jabulani Sibanda, the National Secretary for Youth Cde Absalom Sikhosana, Deputy National Secretary for Women’s Affairs Cde Eunice Sandi Moyo, National Political Commissar Cde Webster Shamu and Cde Rugare Gumbo, the National Secretary for Information and Publicity.
The delegation will be in Matabeleland South today.
On Thursday, they will be in Masvingo before visiting Manicaland and Mashonaland East on Friday.
The team will visit Mashonaland Central on Saturday and Mashonaland West on Sunday and conclude the tour in Harare on Monday.
Some powerful Zanu-PF members were allegedly manipulating DCCs causing unnecessary tension and divisions in the revolutionary party.
Online Reporter