admin
to explain the dissolution of District Co-ordinating Committees.President Mugabe, who is the party’s First Secretary, announced the decision to disband the DCCs in Harare recently and the Central Committee has since endorsed the move.
Yesterday the delegation visited the Midlands province where they addressed the Provincial Co-ordinating Committee members.
Cde Mutasa said the dissolution of the DCCs would help strengthen the party by allowing direct communication between the executive and the grassroots.
He said some individuals were abusing the structure to serve their interests.
“The message from the Central Committee is clear, the DCCs have been dissolved.
“This means there will be more work for the party executives.
“The Central Committee took the decision after noting that certain individuals were abusing the structure to advance their own selfish decisions,” said Cde Mutasa.
He was accompanied by the party’s Political Commissar, Cde Webster Shamu, war veterans leader Cde Jabulani Sibanda and spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo.
The team is on a tour of all the provinces, briefing members on the party’s decision.
Cde Jorum Gumbo, the party’s chief whip described the decision as “painful” and “unceremonious”.
Members were questioning the rationale behind disbanding the DCCs.
He said it was difficult for the party to arrive at that decision.
Some members said the dissolution of DCCs would weaken the party.
“We have more than 1 000 officials in a district. If they fail to get to the people, then who will?
“We decided to dissolve them because it is only now that they lost direction. In the past they would work for the party.
“Now DCC members are working for their selfish interests,” he said.
Cde Mutasa urged those who were contesting the decision to present their concerns to the Central Committee.
Zanu-PF Midlands chairman, Cde Jason Machaya, told the meeting that serving the party was supreme to individual interests.
He said party members should not draw joy from their colleagues when they lose elections within the party.
“DCCs were only a structure meant to promote the party’s growth at a certain phase. Kubva pachigaro hakusi kubva muparty (losing a position does not mean being expelled from the party). In fact, ordinary party members are more important than officials.
“They have the power to elect you into office or to vote you out. There is a culture of mocking those who lose posts. That is a culture that is alien to our party Zanu-PF,” said Cde Machaya.
Cde Shamu described the dissolution of the DCCs as “another level of the party’s transformation” process.
He urged members to be disciplined and focused.
“This phase of our party’s transformation calls for discipline.
“There are no more DCCs that you used to hide behind when not working. You now need to go to the people direct and work really hard,” said Cde Shamu.
Cde Sibanda said Zanu-PF was forging ahead with its restructuring as the DCCs had become overweight within the structures of the revolutionary party.
He said the removal of the DCCs would enable the smooth running of the party.
“The decision to dissolve the DCCs is a result of the amendment of the constitution.
“The restructuring is not limited to elections alone.
“It gives the executive more control of the party. Let me point out that DCCs were not executives but just district co-ordinating committees,” he said.
“We are in full support of the restructuring exercise as war veterans as we are members of the party and we are bound by the party constitution,” he said.
Zanu-PF politburo member, Cde Cephas Msipa, called on all party members to work towards a common vision and goal for the party’s prosperity.
He said all party members should work as a team.
“We should all agree that this thing should work and I assure you it will work.
“I have confidence that the decision to end DCCs will bear fruits only if we work as a team.
“It is unfortunate if you joined the party to be in the DCCs because they are no more. But if you joined the party to serve its interests there is no need to despair,” said Cde Msipa.
Today the team will visit Bulawayo and Matabeleland North provinces. Tomorrow it will be in Matabeleland South.
Zanu-PF provincial leaders from the three provinces confirmed the meetings in separate telephone interviews.
Online Reporter