daniel chigunwe
Gibson Nyikadzino
Herald Correspondent
The successful outcomes from the just ended Zanu PF Cell Day meetings invoked the record historical organisation and grassroots connection the party has with the people, Cde Chris Mutsvangwa has said.
Cde Mutsvangwa, who is the Zanu PF spokesperson, said the unity and cohesion witnessed last Saturday is an “attribute of our politico-historical experience” whose goal is a resounding victory that will silence the Western sponsored opposition in next year’s harmonised elections.
His comments come after President Mnangagwa, the First Secretary of the ruling party, together with the First Family on Saturday attended their party cell meeting at Dambudzo 1 cell in Sherwood, Kwekwe. The First Family was part of the 59-member cell meeting chaired by Cde Augustine Gijima.
Speaking at the meeting, President Mnangagwa said the cell is the party’s vehicle, soul and most important party organ where everything starts from.
“The cell is the soul of the party. This is where everything begins. The cell is the most important organ of the party. So today, wherever there is ZANU PF, cells are congregating,” President Mnangagwa said.
The President said though party cells usually comprise 50 members, they can be allowed more members. As of February 2022, Zanu PF had 78 000 cells which translated to approximately to 3,9 million members and the cell restructuring exercise is ongoing.
Cells are the organic structures of the party where recruitment of new members and mass mobilisation strategies are implemented.
Yesterday, Zanu PF Secretary for Information and Publicity Cde Mutsvangwa said the Cell Day showed a “historical poignancy and organisational potency” in the revolutionary party, hence the song “musangano kuma sero”.
“President Mnangagwa as First Secretary of the Party of the Zimbabwe Revolution is steeped deep in the ethos of Zanu PF as proponent and prosecutor of the scientific people’s war that marshalled the populace and unhinged the military supremacy of the Rhodesian Army as the catspaw of the foremost imperial army of all times.
“It is axiomatic that the population of Zimbabwe is still one of the most structured and organised on the African continent foursome years into independence. This is the rationale and tradition behind invoking the Cell Day,” said Cde Mutsvangwa.
Cde Mutsvangwa also highlighted that the national virtues of structure and organisation Zanu PF has will see the party romp to a landslide victory in 2023 and shame the opposition and their legion of intrusive post-imperial sponsors and detractors.
“Everyone is once again being conscientised at the basic individual level so the population can act in goal minded unison. The President and the Party are minding this attribute of our politico-historical experience.
“Come the 2023 plebiscite, the Party is focused on delivering every vote possible to the polling booth. The goal being a resounding and epochal victory to silence the dira jecharist nuisance and their legion of intrusive post imperial sponsors and detractors,” Cde Mutsvangwa added.
The former top diplomat to Beijing said it should not be overlooked that ZANU-PF is the first ever guerrilla movement to embrace the ballot as opposed to the bullet as the “baptism to political power and governance”.
Political analysts who spoke to The Herald said the Cell Day concept by Zanu PF exhibited the party’s ability to respond to new and emerging political patterns presented after the March 26 by-elections as the Cell Day will smoothen mobilisation strategies and help self-introspection.
“The cell model cannot be challenged by alliances, movements and coalitions because these three are instantaneous. They have no endurance but Zanu PF does. Cells confirm loyalty and allegiance for Zanu PF because you need fifty people at that level and that number can go beyond the expected.
“What is also important is for Zanu PF to maintain the confirmed membership, especially the older party members as it is rare that they change their minds despite the importance of the youth,” said Prof Obediah Dodo.
Mr Alex Munyonga, said the Cell Day initiative is an example of political self- introspection as the March 26 by-elections revealed new trends on the Zimbabwean political landscape.
He said the Cell Day initiative should not be underestimated as it lays a solid ground for membership audit and the inculcation of party values.
“A whole is always greater that sum of its parts, as such, a grassroots voter mobilisation drive can catapult more support. Political loyalty can wane away and wither if not watered and manured.
“In this respect there is a sense in which there is need for practical membership check so as to map the way forward for the part. Through the Cell Day initiatives Zanu PF has demonstrated its commitment towards uniting party members and stage a united front in future plebiscites,” Mr Munyonga said.
Online Reporter