ZANU PF launches countrywide cell restructuring to strengthen support base

ZANU PF is embarking on countrywide cell restructuring exercises across the provinces to bolster its support base.

In Bulawayo, the Greens District initiated the exercise, which saw hordes of supporters, as well as new members registering their names for the respective wards in the city centre last week.

Greens district chairperson Cde Tendai Charuka said the exercise is meant to strengthen the party structures as well as to garner support for the next election.

He said the process entails a thorough and rigorous process of membership head counting.

“This is an exercise aimed at quantifying our support base. As part of reaffirming our legitimacy as a party, we have to go through a rigorous process of membership head counting. Beyond the statistical logic of this process, the cell restructuring exercise is an opportunity to strategically re-organise ourselves in preparation for our next elections,” said Cde Charuka.

He said as the Greens district chairperson he is happy with the numbers and even recorded new members, most of whom defected from opposition parties.

“I am sure we are among the first districts in the country to hold this exercise and we are very eager to reaffirm our support for the party and its leadership. We want to ensure that there are proper structures at lower levels up to the provincial level,” Cde Charuka said.

He said the cell restructuring exercise is meant to ensure all party members, regardless of position, are registered in their respective cells.

“This is an ongoing exercise. We want to ensure that those who are holding high offices are registered in their cells. Those who have defected from opposition parties are also registered in their respective zones,” said Cde Charuka.

He invited the youth to join the party and be registered within the party’s structures.

“All those youths who are joining the party should now be registered in the cell restructuring exercise,” said Cde Charuka.

He said the exercise is also part of Zanu PF preparations for District Coordinating Committee elections, which are also part of its restructuring exercise after the term of the current members expired last year.

Minister of Devolution and Provincial Affairs Cde Judith Ncube, who is also a Zanu-PF Politburo member said this is an ongoing process that is open to old and new members.

“The process basically doesn’t stop. We are constantly registering old and new members, with the aim of nurturing our numbers,” she said.

Last week the party announced that it has begun preparations for the District Coordinating Committee (DCC) elections.

Zanu PF Secretary General Dr Obert Mpofu in an interview with our sister paper the Herald confirmed the development.

“We have started the restructuring of our structures from cell to district level in preparation for the DCC elections because their term of office has expired. Before we conduct elections for the DCCs, we need to ensure that the cells, branches, and districts are fully structured,” said Mpofu.

The National Political Commissar Cde Mike Bimha, is reported to have informed lower structures about the activities which will be completed in the first quarter of the year.

“The dates for conducting the DCC elections will be announced as soon as we have sorted out the lower structures for a proper process to be conducted,” said Cde Bimha.

@petematika