Online Reporter
Richard Muponde
Zimpapers Politics Hub
The 22nd ZANU PF National People’s Conference, to be held in Mutare marks another milestone in Zimbabwe’s ruling party’s calendar.
It is a critical convergence of policy review, reflection and the robust reaffirmation of national priorities under the Second Republic.
This year’s conference follows the successful holding of the 21st National People’s Conference in Bulawayo in 2024, where the party unequivocally reaffirmed President Mnangagwa’s leadership and adopted resolutions focused on economic recovery, industrialisation and social transformation.
The Mutare conference thus serves as both a thorough review of those resolutions’ implementation and a necessary recalibration of strategies ahead of the next phase of Vision 2030, Zimbabwe’s definitive roadmap toward becoming an upper-middle-income economy.
Pre-Conference Activities and Preparations
In the lead-up to the main event, the National Coordinating Committee conducted an extensive tour of Mutare to assess readiness.
On the sidelines of this inspection, ZANU PF National Chairperson Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, confirmed that all logistical, infrastructural, and thematic preparations were firmly on course.
Crucially, President Mnangagwa is expected to commission four major projects on Thursday, October 16, 2025, a day before the official opening of the conference.
These pre-conference activities are strategically-designed to highlight the tangible developmental gains achieved under the Second Republic and to symbolically link party policy with tangible progress on the ground.
The Presidential Commissioning, a Showcase of Development
The four key projects scheduled for commissioning in Mutare are designed to showcase tangible developmental gains across critical sectors.
The Mega Market Milling Plant represents a major step forward for Zimbabwe’s food processing industry.
As the nation’s first state-of-the-art grain processing facility, its launch will significantly boost domestic food production capacity, while simultaneously creating much-needed employment opportunities within Manicaland Province.
Complementing this focus on food security is the commissioning of the GMB Mutare Depot Artificial Intelligence-Powered Silos. This project highlights technological innovation, with the use of AI expected to dramatically enhance national grain storage efficiency, thereby reinforcing the country’s overall food security strategy.
In the health sector, the opening of the National Pharmaceutical Warehouse at Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital marks the establishment of a critical facility. This new hub will streamline logistics and ensure the efficient, nationwide distribution of essential medicines, directly improving healthcare delivery.
Finally, a tree planting ceremony at the new ZANU PF provincial offices Site will serve as a symbolic gesture, explicitly linking the party’s commitment to growth and political sustainability with the vital national goal of environmental responsibility.
These high-impact activities underscore the party’s unwavering emphasis on productivity, innovation, and self-reliance.
Official Opening and Conference Proceedings
The official opening ceremony is slated for Friday, October 17, 2025, and will be presided over by President Mnangagwa.
The event will feature rigorous political, economic, and ideological presentations, with delegates drawn from all provinces, the Women’s League, Youth League, and War Veterans’ League.
The policy sessions are expected to focus keenly on three core areas. The first involves reviewing progress on the resolutions adopted at the 21st Conference, with a particular emphasis on key sectors such as agriculture, energy, and infrastructure.
Secondly, the conference will address the crucial political objective of strengthening party unity and discipline across all structures in preparation for the upcoming 2028 harmonised elections.
Finally, the delegates will dedicate time to reaffirming the Second Republic’s developmental thrust and reinforcing the nation’s sovereignty narrative, a central ideological theme for the party.
Symbolic and Ideological Reinforcement
A major ideological component of this year’s programme is a poignant delegates’ tour of the Chimoio Liberation War Shrine in Mozambique. Provinces will visit in scheduled groups, following a coordination plan set by Manicaland Minister of State Advocate Misheck Mugadza and his Mozambican counterpart.
This ideological reinforcement exercise reconnects members with the liberation struggle’s roots, powerfully reinforcing the revolutionary ethos that defines the party’s identity and legitimacy.
Comparison with the 21st Conference in Bulawayo
The 21st National People’s Conference in Bulawayo focused on consolidating the Second Republic’s policies, particularly in infrastructure development and stabilising the economy.
Many of those resolutions notably in agriculture mechanisation, mining expansion, and health system reform have since been implemented and are now being showcased in Mutare through the commissioning projects.
While last year’s conference was held in Bulawayo’s urban-industrial setting, the choice of Mutare offers a symbolic shift toward decentralisation and inclusivity, honouring Manicaland’s immense contribution to national development and the liberation struggle.
Closing of the Conference
The conference will draw to a close on Sunday, October 18, 2025, with the formal adoption of new resolutions and a concluding communiqué. The closing ceremony will powerfully reaffirm unity, loyalty to the party leadership, and an ironclad commitment to national development, thereby setting the definitive tone for ZANU PF’s continued governance agenda toward the attainment of Vision 2030.
Peter Tanyanyiwa