Online Reporter
Joseph Madzimure
Zimpapers Politics Hub
PREPARATIONS for the Zanu PF 22nd Annual People’s Conference, set to be held in Manicaland province, are now at an advanced stage with all systems already in place to host a successful indaba, Zanu PF Secretary for Information and Publicity Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa has said.
Giving a post-Politburo meeting briefing, Ambassador Mutsvangwa highlighted that the Politburo meeting on Wednesday deliberated on a number of issues, with the main focus on the state of preparedness to host a successful Annual People’s Conference set to be held from October 13 to 18.
He stated that the Politburo received a detailed report on the state of preparedness.
“All systems are ready for this year’s conference in Mutare, and it will be emotive because Manicaland is one of the provinces that bore the brunt of the liberation war,’’ said Ambassador Mutsvangwa.
“It is only fitting that this year’s conference be held in a resurgent Manicaland, returning to even greater glory than it was during the Mutapa era, which was a thoroughfare to the coast as is happening again.”
He said preparations for the Zanu PF 22nd Annual National People’s Conference are progressing well with 90 percent of the work to upgrade the venue already completed, while accommodation for VIPs and ordinary delegates has been secured.
The conference, scheduled to take place at Mutare Polytechnic in Manicaland, is expected to be attended by 4 000 delegates.
The party targets to raise US$5 million to cover conference expenses, with Manicaland and five other provinces exceeding their allocated fundraising targets of US$50 000.
Notable contributors include Midlands (US$100 000), Mashonaland East (US$105 000), Matabeleland South (US$100 000), Masvingo (US$85 000), Mashonaland West (US$70 000), and Mashonaland Central (US$60 000).
Manicaland, as the host, offered to raise an additional US$1 million.
The draft conference agenda and programme have been approved, while three ministers – Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises; Veterans of the Liberation Struggle, and Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training will address the conference, with emphasis on the Anti-Drug and Substance Abuse campaign, which will feature prominently on the agenda.
As per the conference roadmap, Provincial Inter-District Conferences are scheduled for September 12, with senior Politburo members and Government officials presenting updates on previous conference resolutions, while experts will lead drug and substance abuse deliberations.
All party wings must adopt a zero-tolerance resolution on drug and substance abuse and advocate for a levy to combat this issue, modelled after the AIDS levy.
The conference venue coincides with that of the Sanganai/Hlanganani/Kumbanayi World Tourism Expo, scheduled to take place from September 10 to 12, a month before the conference.
The conference organising committee will leverage on the expo as a benchmark to measure and enhance the conference organisation.
The conference delegates will have the opportunity to visit the Chimoio Shrine in Mozambique.
The conference will be held under the theme “Attainment of Vision 2030 Through Economic Empowerment and Value Addition”.
Ambassador Mutsvangwa also stated that the Politburo remarked on the leaps and bounds in economic growth and the need to revamp the rail network to be able to develop at the same pace with the economy and be able to service the demands of the economy.
“As we have witnessed a growth spurt in exports, there is a need to match our carriage systems to the neighbouring states and ports,” he said.
He noted that Mutare is fast growing to become a bigger border post than Beitbridge buoyed by the resurgent economy and the fact that Beira, servicing the gargantuan Asian market is 300km from Zimbabwe whereas Durban is 2 000km.
Ambassador Mutsvangwa also said Wednesday’s Politburo meeting discussed the impact of the First Lady’s Angel of Hope Drug Rehabilitation Centre.
Politburo members, he said were encouraged to visit and see the ravages of drug dependency.
He stated that the Politburo hailed the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the justice system in general for the arrests and convictions made on those caught peddling the debilitating drugs.
