Online Reporter
Zimpapers Reporters
ZANU-PF yesterday successfully held its National Cell Day commemorations and cell verification exercise, with party big wigs describing the programme as a resounding success that reaffirmed the strength of its grassroots structures while attracting thousands of new members nationwide.
Held under the theme, “Advancing Vision 2030 Through Vibrant Cell and Village Structures,” the exercise saw party members gathering in cells across urban centres and rural communities to verify membership registers, recruit new members, update records in the party’s digital database and discuss community development issues.
Party leaders said the programme demonstrated growing public confidence in Zanu-PF and its Vision 2030 development agenda under President Mnangagwa, while reinforcing the party’s grassroots mobilisation machinery ahead of future political engagements.
The ruling party’s Vice President and Second Secretary, Cde Kembo Mohadi, led proceedings in Beitbridge where party members gathered to review, renew and strengthen structures at community level.
Speaking after participating in the exercise, VP Mohadi expressed satisfaction with the growth of party cells in the border town, citing increased attendance, greater youth participation and renewed interest in party activities across wards.
“I am pleased that our cells are growing here in Beitbridge,” he said. “When cells are alive, the party is alive. The reports we have received show that the party is also growing in terms of support. That is a good sign for our movement.”
VP Mohadi, who belongs to Mohadi Three Cell in Ward Two under Beitbridge Municipality together with Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Cde Albert Nguluvhe, said growth must be accompanied by discipline, service and unity.
“It is important to unite from the grassroots level to drive national development. Development begins in the cell, in the village, in the ward. If we work together at that level, the whole country moves forward,” he said.
He urged party members to embrace teamwork and recruit more members into the party.
“Teamwork means we carry each other. Unity means we speak with one voice. Hard work means we do not wait, we act. If we hold on to these three, Zanu-PF will remain strong.
“The party should grow in numbers, but with quality. Let us recruit people who understand our history, our vision and our duty to serve the people.”
VP Mohadi said party cells must remain centres of mobilisation, political education and service delivery feedback, enabling communities to communicate their concerns to leadership while ensuring
Government programmes are understood at grassroots level.
“The people should move with one shared vision. That vision is a united, prosperous and self-reliant Zimbabwe. If the cell understands the vision, the ward will understand it. If the ward understands it, the district will understand it. That is how we build the nation,” he said.
National Political Commissar Cde Munyaradzi Machacha said National Cell Day remained one of the party’s most strategic mobilisation exercises because it measures organisational strength while creating opportunities for sustained recruitment.
“The National Cell Day is a crucial exercise because cells are strategic grassroots party organs that ensure vibrancy within our organisation and measure our strengths while reflecting the likely outcome if an election were to be held at any given time,” he said.
“The exercise reflects directly on the strength of the party and the opportunities to recruit more members and grow the party.”
Cde Machacha said the exercise also enabled members to verify and update their personal details in the party’s digital database while strengthening structures at community level.
Introduced in 2022, National Cell Day has become one of Zanu-PF’s flagship grassroots programmes, providing the revolutionary party with an opportunity to consolidate its structures, recruit new members and reinforce unity from the cell level upwards while positioning itself for future electoral contests.
In Hwange West Constituency, Zanu-PF Secretary-General Advocate Jacob Mudenda used the occasion to call for stronger grassroots structures, saying vibrant and functional cells remain the foundation of the revolutionary party and key to advancing national development.
Addressing hundreds of party supporters during commemorations and the Cell Verification Exercise at Dete Community Hall, Adv Mudenda said every member should be guided by the party constitution and the cell handbook in carrying out party activities.
“The foundation of the party is the cell. If the foundation is not strong enough, the whole house falls apart,” he said.
He urged members to channel community challenges through their local cells so that they can be escalated through the District Coordinating Committee, provincial structures and eventually to party headquarters for consideration.
“Let us mobilise more membership at grassroots level. Let us show that we are a people-centred party that cares for the needs of the people of Zimbabwe,” said Adv Mudenda.
In Bulawayo, the party’s sustained grassroots mobilisation drive also bore tangible results as scores of new members joined Zanu-PF during the commemorations, reinforcing the revolutionary party’s visibility, unity and organisational strength.
Speaking after participating in the exercise, Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Cde Archie Chiponda said the overwhelming turnout and influx of new members reflected the success of the province’s continuous mobilisation campaign.
“As Zanu-PF Bulawayo Province, we are very happy with the turnout on Cell Day. We managed to verify a vast number of our party members, as well as writing up and signing up a lot of new members. We have a lot of interest in Zanu-PF,” he said. “These are the fruits of our mobilisation drive. As a political party, we are always on a drive to increase our membership and increase our support. A day like Cell Day allows us to take stock of the success of our mobilisation drives.”
Cde Chiponda said the encouraging figures demonstrated that the party’s structures remained vibrant and deeply rooted within communities.
“The numbers are very encouraging. National Cell Day allows us as an organisation to take stock of our membership, assess how we are doing as an organisation and hear ideas from our members.
“Politics is a numbers game and this exercise enables us to strengthen our structures from the grassroots.”
Member of Parliament for Nkulumane Constituency and Bulawayo Province Youth League chairman Cde Freedom Murechu also witnessed an increase in attendance at Cell One, Branch Five under Hlomane
District, attributing the growth to the party’s people-centred development programmes.
“Today I am attending my cell meeting here in Nkulumane and I am very happy because compared to our previous meeting, our numbers have grown,” he said.
Cde Murechu said youths were increasingly identifying with Zanu-PF because of empowerment opportunities being rolled out under President Mnangagwa’s leadership.
Acting chairperson for Cell One, Branch Five under Hlomane District, Cde Nqobile Mthombeni, said sustained mobilisation efforts had significantly strengthened the cell.
“Today alone we recruited more than 20 new members, taking our membership to well over 50. This shows that our mobilisation programmes are working and people have confidence in the party. We will continue reaching out to more residents so that our structures become even stronger,” she said.
Similar scenes played out in Bulawayo’s central business district where Fifth Avenue became a hive of activity as new members were welcomed into various cells under the Greens District.
District chairperson Cde Tendai Charuka said the ruling party’s consistent engagement with communities was yielding positive results.
“Our existing members have been spreading the message of unity and economic prosperity under President Mnangagwa’s leadership and encouraging others to join Zanu-PF.
“We recorded a significant number of new members joining the party today, with one cell in the city centre alone recruiting 17 new members,” he said.
