Online Reporter
We publish here the keynote address by the President and First Secretary of Zanu PF Cde Mnangagwa at the official opening of the Zanu PF 22nd National People’s Conference at Mutare Polytechnic College, Manicaland Province, yesterday.
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Pamberi neZANU PF. Pamberi nekubatana.
Pamberi negwara remusangano.
Phambili leZANU PF. Phambili lokubambana.
Viva ZANU PF, Viva ZANU PF.
Pasi nemhandu.
First Lady Amai A Mnangagwa;
Vice President and Second Secretary, Cde Gen (Rtd) Dr Chiwenga;
Vice President and Second Secretary, Cde Mohadi;
National Chairman and Minister of Defence, Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri;
Secretary General, Cde Advocate Mudenda;
Members of the Politburo and Central Committee; Members of the Elders Council;
Members of the National Consultative Assembly;
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Manicaland Province, Honourable Advocate Mugadza;
ZANU PF, Manicaland Provincial Chairman, Cde Mukodza;
President of the National Chief Council, Honourable Senator Chief Khumalo nemadzimambo ese aripano;
Senior Government Officials; Members of the Diplomatic Corps; Invited Guests;
Conference Delegates; Comrades and Friends.
It is my singular honour to address this 22nd National People’s Conference of our ruling revolutionary mass party, ZANU PF. The jubilant and electric atmosphere characterising this historic Conference shows that ZANU PF is indeed the home and custodian of the people’s revolution.
On behalf of the party, the Central Committee, and indeed on my own behalf, I thank you, Manicaland Province, for the warm manner in which you have welcomed us. Tinokutendai nekuti gamuchira, kwamaita. Well done, Manicaland Province. Well done, ZANU PF.
Tinofara kuva kuno kuManicaland Province, “kumakomoyo”. Ino iprovince ine nhoroondo yehondo yerusununguko. Vana vekuno vakawanda, vakaenda kuhondo.
Manicaland Province has a rich revolutionary history, and communities, like others across the country, contributed with their blood for the liberation, freedom, and independence of our motherland, Zimbabwe.
You generously hosted and provided sanctuary to many of the country’s Sons and Daughters of the Soil, who passed through the valleys, rough mountains, and rivers of this province to join the armed liberation struggle. The province was a strategic entry point for our freedom fighters into the sister Republic of Mozambique. Tinokutendayi. Siyalibonga.
It is a befitting tribute that we launched our campaign for the 2023 Harmonised General Elections in Chipinge. Last year, the nation converged in Buhera District for the 44th Independence Anniversary Commemorations.
We take the opportunity of this conference to draw inspiration from the province’s resistance against colonialism, oppression, and settler domination. The heroic acts of Chief Rekayi Tangwena and Chief Makoni; the astuteness of the late national hero and ZANU Chairman, Cde Herbert Wiltshire Chitepo, along with many other national heroes such as Cde Ndabaningi Sithole, all provide motivation and lessons on nation and party building.
Kuno ndiko kwakabvazve magamba anoti Comrades, Maurice Nyagumbo, Edgar Tekere, Kumbirayi Kangai, William Ndangana, Zororo Duri, and Ellen Gwaradzimba, among others.
Memories of the many battles fought in this Province, including the Mavonde battle, solidify our obligation to protect the party’s founding ideology.
Comrades; The conference theme, ‘Attainment of Vision 2030 through Economic Empowerment and Value Addition,’ is timely. It avails us the chance to refine and re-focus our ongoing people-centred revolution to develop, modernise, and industrialise Zimbabwe for the shared prosperity of all communities in our great country.
In keeping with the long-held traditions and the internal democratic culture of our party, I invite the conference to engage in factual, frank, and constructive discussions. As we debate, let us respect each other’s divergent views. The upcoming implementation cycle of the National Development Strategy 2 and the Harmonised General Elections remains of utmost importance. The party’s machinery should never rest but remain well-oiled to serve the people and advance the development of our motherland, Zimbabwe.
It is pleasing that all structures of ZANU PF have shown leadership in every area of our society; from building stronger families, fighting drug and substance abuse, right across to productivity, industrialisation, and modernisation of the economy. Our colossal mass party is indeed the engine-room of national development, a responsibility which we do not take lightly.
The collective wisdom of this National People’s Conference must be harnessed to proffer innovative programmes to accelerate the ongoing development processes. In marching forward, the DNA of ZANU PF will never change and must never be tampered with. The party must not shy away from continually adapting and responding to the requirements of the changing times. These new realities include urbanisation, increased ICT usage, and a highly mobile, educated, and empowered people.
Vision 2030 is fast approaching; accordingly, party strategies and programmes should be ready to lead an empowered upper middle-income society. The ZANU PF constitution and correct party line should be ingrained in the hearts and minds of our people. This will guide the party throughout any periods of modernisation and transformation.
Individually and collectively, through actions, speech, and conduct, every cadre of the party has a duty to guarantee the dominance and popularity of ZANU PF. The conference is called upon to put in place the requisite building blocks to fortify this fundamental thrust.
Tose tinosungirwa kubatana, nekuchengetedza kuzvitonga kwedu kuzere, sevana vevhu.
Pamberi neZANU PF. Pamberi nekubatana. Pamberi nebudiriro.
Pasi neusimbe.
Phambili lokubambana. Phambili lempu-me-le-lo. Phansi lobuvila.
Comrades; The ZANU PF-led Government, under my leadership, is championing an undeniable economic revolution with a firm GDP growth trajectory. The impacts of our policies are reaching all districts, wards, and villages. Vanoona ngatiwonei, vanonzwa tinzwisise.
No amount of falsehoods by detractors will ever conceal the true and positive story of Zimbabwe.
Sustainable, people-centred development and prosperity can never be a “Big Bang.” We are a nation on the rise. Systematically, orderly, and through a disciplined approach; we are building the Zimbabwe we want, brick by brick, and stone upon stone. Gradually, we are lifting people into a better quality of life, step by step, and community by community.
The ongoing empowerment programmes are designed to facilitate entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. Our youth and women must make money here, in the free and independent land of our birth. No one and no place will be left behind. Makorokoto, Amhlophe, Kumabasa edu akasiyana-siyana, tirikuratidza kuti, zvokwadi-zvokwadi;
Nyika, inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatigwa nevene vayo/Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi balo. Halleluya.
Agricultural production and productivity is our reliable and consistent path to self-reliance. Higher agricultural productivity should now translate to the expansion of our agro-industries. The conference is called upon to guide our structures and the nation at large to ensure that our agriculture is market-driven, not only to feed ourselves but particularly for export destinations.
The aim is to also see better health and nutrition, especially for our children and improved household incomes, as a result of the successes in the agriculture sector. The party has a duty to plan and direct our Government in a manner that realises these aspirations.
Preparations for the 2025/2026 summer cropping season have already begun. Inputs are being dispatched across the country. I congratulate the party for mobilising farmers towards climate-proofing our agriculture.
The increased uptake of the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme is a demonstration of our shared vision to be a nation that produces what we eat. Well done, Zimbabwe.
The record maize, wheat, and tobacco yields, as well as mineral sales, together with the expanding manufacturing sector and increasing tourist arrivals all point to our unstoppable potential. Pamusoro pazvo, vana vedu varikushanda kunze kwenyika varikubatsirawo kuvaka nyika yekwavo. Tinozvikudza. Our citizens in the diaspora are playing their part in building our motherland through remittances and increasingly by investing in different parts of the economy. Such acts of patriotism and allegiance to our motherland are commendable.
Going forward, the ZANU PF-led Government will continue to collaborate with the private sector to consolidate the gains we are realising from the prevailing conducive business environment.
Zimbabwe is open for business, with focus now on investment promotion in rural areas. As we welcome investors into our jurisdiction, we expect that they will adhere to the Constitution and laws while also respecting our people, customs, and culture.
More industries and factories must be established among our communities. Production of all the needs of our people should be based at the places where they live. Tinoda ma-factory kumaruwa ikoko. Zvinhu zvatinoda ngazvigadzirwe kumatunhu edu. Mabasa ngaawanikwe kuma districts edu, nekuma wards. Tisu tine mutoro wekuzviita izvozvo. Let us not wait for others from elsewhere to come and develop our own areas and sectors. The duty to create jobs for our young people is ours together.
At Government level, our rural industrialisation, transformation, and the empowerment of local communities are on course.
You are all witnessing irrigation schemes, Presidential Village Business Units, as well as agro-processing and warehousing facilities being established throughout the country. These interventions are turning our rural communities into strategic and viable export hubs, resulting in improved household incomes and livelihoods.
The conference is challenged to further assess the performance of all party programmes and projects. This should be done for the purpose of collectively proffering positive recommendations that will close any emerging development gaps and oversights.
Throughout the prosecution of the armed liberation struggle and since independence, the party has always demonstrated an ability to adapt strategies to realise the desired end goal. We are a people’s movement that decisively and boldly reviews our own approaches in the best interests of the people of our beloved country. This culture should never stop.
The Government has put in place concrete strategies to quicken the rate of modernisation of our hospitals as well as the availability of drugs and medicines.
Tomorrow, I will be commissioning the NatPharm medical warehouse here in Mutare, at the Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital.
Science education is at the core of industrialisation and sustainable development. The party should ensure that Government is directed to prioritise the construction, equipping, and manning of science labs, especially in rural areas.
The Heritage-Based Education 5.0 Model has had evident results. Discussions at this conference towards deliberately scaling up support for our talented youth to broaden areas of innovation as well as commercialise their creative ideas and products are critically important.
In agriculture, mining, manufacturing, ICTs, and tourism, among other sectors, the young people are emerging as masters of their own destinies. Our party and country have every reason to be proud. Well done, well done.
SeMusangano we ZANU PF tinokutsigirai vechidiki. Ngazvirambe zvakadaro, muchiziva kuti; Nyika, inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatigwa nevene vayo/Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhu-le-ke-lwe ngabanikazi balo.
Pamberi ne Youth League Pamberi nevechidiki veZimbabwe Pambili le Youth League
Pasi nemhandu.
Comrades; ZANU PF is a strong and united party, with a constitution, sound ideology, clearly laid out structures, and revolutionary principles that do not change according to preferences and the self-interests of cliques. Kwete. Musangano haukwani muhomwe yemunhu. Hausi wangu, hausi wedu sevatungamiri; ZANU PF ndeye ruzhinji rweZimbabwe. ZANU PF is not private property; it can never fit into anyone’s pocket; this is a mammoth revolutionary party.
Hatisi musangano we-mazvake mazvake. Tinomira pazviga zvedu, zvido zvevanhu, uye tinotevedza gwara remusangano, gwara rehondo yechimurenga.
We are a party that upholds its constitution, including the laws of this country, as we advance our national interests.
“Kure kwemeso, nzeve dzinonzwa.” All structures are directed to expose and reject perpetrators of tribalism and regionalism, among other narratives that divide the party. Corruption, corruption, corruption of any kind has no place among the rank and file of the party membership and indeed, in our country. It is cancerous to the ongoing national development agenda.
You will all recall that in 2018, in my address to the 17th National People’s Conference at Esigodini, Matabeleland South Province, I pronounced that, and I quote;
“To achieve the modern, prosperous society we envision to become, we must cleanse ourselves from the retrogressive tendencies such as corruption, self-centredness, economic sabotage, indiscipline, and immorality, among other ills. The party should never be a haven for any of these vices. We must be honest, hardworking, transparent, disciplined, and selfless in all our activities. These are values and the national ethos which must be ingrained in us to bequeath to future generations.”
That position still holds. It remains the correct party line. Excesses, wanton acts of commission and omission for corrupt ends risk alienating the party from the masses and must be expunged from our body politic. Discipline and integrity of all ZANU PF members should be above question. I expect the Conference to be emphatic on these matters.
Our country is not for sale. Spreading false information, denigrating one’s country, the leadership, and people can never be good for our national pride, image, and dignity. Let it be clear that those opportunists who tarnish our country for short-sighted, ulterior political motives will never succeed. Zimbabwe is a constitutional democracy, with strong governance systems and institutions.
Nyika ino haitongwi pasocial media. Hayisi yekutamba nayo; yakatengwa neropa rerusununguko, ropa revana veZimbabwe vakarara kumasango. Pasi nenhubu.
Under my leadership, ZANU PF will remain vigilant and not waver in safeguarding, defending, and promoting our unity, peace, democracy, independence, and sovereignty. We shall never betray the fallen heroes and heroines, sons and daughters of the soil, who paid for the Zimbabwe we now enjoy, with their dear lives. seZANU PF hatikanganwe. Ticharamba tichichengetedza nhaka yedu.
Comrade Delegates; As we turn to the main agenda of this watershed conference, I challenge us to do so with unity of purpose, and invite us all to put our hands to the plough to achieve the intended objectives of this gathering.
Focus must be on guaranteeing the growth of our party membership in readiness for the Harmonised General Elections. Responsive strategies and approaches must be advanced to consolidate the visibility and influence of the Women, Youth, and Veterans Leagues. Political mobilisation by the Party with its affiliates is our daily responsibility.
Let us carry on recruiting and welcoming new members from all walks of life and harness the diverse skills of the membership for the ultimate good of our revolutionary movement. Tinoramba tichivaka musangano wedu, nguva nenguva.
The successes of the ZANU PF Government are a source of pride and are like a light that keeps growing brighter and brighter.
Our national development philosophy; Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa nevene vayo/Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe ngabanikazi balo, is permeating to every Zimbabwean, including those in the Diaspora. Through this philosophy, we must safeguard our dignity and identity as truly independent Zimbabwean and African people.
The bonds that cement all of us, from Zambezi to Limpopo and Mutare to Plumtree, are unbreakable. We are a united, peaceful, unitary, and indivisible great nation of Zimbabwe. This conference is a demonstration of this unity. Hatisikudzokera shure. Ticharamba takabatana, tichironga budiriro yenyika yedu, pamwe chete, isu, vene veZimbabwe.
Comrades; The Central Committee reviewed its activities undertaken through the various departments of the party during the period under review. The Central Committee Report before us highlights that ZANU PF is growing, modernising, and extending its influence.
The Departments of the party are more robust, in line with the expectations of the membership and the generality of Zimbabweans. Grassroots empowerment initiatives are ongoing under the auspices of the Leagues of the party. In all the programmes undertaken in the period under review, no one and no place is being left behind.
As a Liberation Movement, the party has remained engaged with progressive parties in the region and beyond. We are doing our part towards promoting the values of Pan-Africanism, unity, justice, peace, security, and sustainable development for all, particularly for us in the Global South.
ZANU PF pays tribute to our friends and allies, who are unflinching in support of Zimbabwe against the continued illegal sanctions and other global shocks such as climate change.
In line with the requirements of the party constitution, it is now my distinct privilege to officially table the Central Committee Report to the 22nd National People’s Conference for debate and adoption.
With these remarks, I wish us fruitful deliberations and conference outcomes that leap forward our country’s development and the prosperity of our people.
Pamberi neZANU PF. Pamberi nekubatana.
Pamberi negwara remusangano.
Phambili leZANU PF. Phambili lokubambana.
Viva ZANU PF, Viva ZANU PF.
Pasi nemhandu.
God bless you all. God bless Zimbabwe. I thank you.
