Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravaza and Gibson Mhaka, Sunday News Reporters
VICE President and Zanu-PF Second Secretary Dr Kembo Mohadi has called for intensified grassroots mobilisation and strengthening of party structures at cell level, saying the ruling party must remain election-ready at all times as it pushes towards the attainment of Vision 2030.
Speaking after a closed-door Matabeleland South Provincial Co-ordinating Committee (PCC) meeting held in Maphisa yesterday, VP Mohadi said mobilisation remained the lifeblood of the revolutionary party and critical to sustaining its electoral dominance and development agenda.
“One of the key issues that the PCC meeting touched on was the importance of mobilisation of members of the ruling party from the cell structures. Mobilisation of members is key for the growth of the party, so we had serious deliberations around that,” he said.
The PCC meeting brought together senior party officials, including Zanu-PF Matabeleland South provincial chairman Cde Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Albert Nguluvhe, Politburo and Central Committee members, District Co-ordinating Committee chairpersons, war veterans, youth and women’s league representatives.
VP Mohadi also said party members had expressed satisfaction with the pace of development in Maphisa and surrounding areas before and after this year’s Independence Day celebrations, which were hosted in Matabeleland South Province on 18 April.
“Party members are also happy with the level of development that they witnessed before and after the Independence Day celebrations on 18 April and that is why the decision to hold the PCC meeting here in Maphisa was made,” he said.
“I think the members were also a bit sceptical about whether the Government will finish some of the incomplete projects. I reassured them that all the legacy projects will be completed.”
The Government undertook a number of infrastructure projects ahead of the national celebrations, including road rehabilitation, venue upgrades and improvements to public facilities in the province, under the Second Republic’s devolution and inclusive development agenda.
Meanwhile, in Matabeleland North Province, Zanu-PF provincial chairman Cde Richard Moyo said the province had demonstrated overwhelming support for the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill during parliamentary public hearings held between 29 March and 2 April this year.
Addressing the party’s provincial inter-district meeting at the Zanu-PF provincial offices in Lupane yesterday, Cde Moyo said the high turnout during the outreach programme reflected confidence in the ruling party’s vision and national development trajectory under President Mnangagwa.
“We take note with exceptional appreciation of the massive mobilisation and awareness campaign you exhibited in support of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill. This is a clear testimony that the party stands by its resolutions by aligning Government institutions to create conducive conditions towards achieving Vision 2030,” he said.
Cde Moyo said the party had committed financial resources to District Co-ordinating Committees (DCCs), to ensure the successful mobilisation of members and communities to rally behind the Bill.
He said the extension would allow President Mnangagwa to complete key developmental programmes and economic reforms being pursued under Vision 2030, whose goal is to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy.
“The key components of the amendment Bill are to extend the Presidential term of office and that of Parliament and local authorities by two years from 2028 to 2030, to allow the President to fulfil his vision,” he said.
Figures presented during the meeting showed that Matabeleland North recorded a cumulative attendance of 4 800 people during the public hearings, with Hwange registering the highest turnout of 1 500 participants, followed by Umguza with 700 attendees, while Tsholotsho and Lupane each registered 600 attendees. Binga had 507 participants, while Bubi recorded 500 attendees.
The province also submitted 3 111 written submissions in support of the Bill.
Despite the strong turnout, Cde Moyo expressed concern over weak grassroots structures in some constituencies, warning that low cell coverage could undermine the party’s electoral prospects in future polls.
“Cell coverage in the province stands at 74 percent and preliminary observations indicate uneven cell coverage with glaring gaps in several administrative districts,” he said.
“Hwange Central and Nkayi South constituencies are lagging with 33 percent and 37 percent cell coverage, respectively. I implore these districts to intensify party mobilisation and recruitment of new members to grow our cell and village levels.”
Cde Moyo said some areas with weak party structures had experienced electoral setbacks in previous elections.
“Low membership has negative results in any election and that is why we have been losing elections in such areas,” he said.
The Zanu-PF leadership has in recent years, intensified restructuring and digitisation of party systems, including the ongoing Cell Digitisation Programme aimed at modernising membership databases and strengthening grassroots co-ordination.
Cde Moyo directed District Co-ordinating Committees to urgently establish functional branch structures and ensure full compliance with the digitisation exercise.
“This pressing concern comes at the backdrop of the Cell Digitisation Programme with a thrust of fully constituted party structures. The digitisation exercise has already been rolled out and compliance by the province is not an option,” he said.
Cde Moyo also challenged party leaders to intensify recruitment drives, saying growth in cells and village structures remained below expectations compared to the registered voter population.
“As I have mentioned earlier on, our cells and village membership is far short of the 2023 registered voter population. This calls for action by every party leader to recruit more members to join the party,” he said.
The renewed mobilisation push comes as Zanu-PF seeks to consolidate its structures following the 2023 harmonised elections while positioning itself to implement long-term developmental programmes under the Second Republic.
