Debra Matabvu and Zvamaida Murwira Harare Bureau
THE Zanu-PF-led Government will continue implementing policies aimed at driving economic development, modernising and industrialising the country, while improving the livelihoods of ordinary Zimbabweans, President Mnangagwa has said.
Addressing the closing session of the 23rd Zanu-PF National People’s Conference in Chinhoyi yesterday, President Mnangagwa said the Second Republic would sustain its development trajectory and intensify efforts to economically empower the people.
The conference, held under the theme “From Resolutions to Results: Consolidating Economic Empowerment Towards Vision 2030,” was attended by more than 7 000 delegates from across the country.
President Mnangagwa said the conference marked a turning point for the ruling party as it moved from making commitments to delivering tangible results.
“This 23rd National People’s Conference has, therefore, marked a turning point in our party’s history. We are decisively moving from promises to delivery, declarations to delivery, and resolutions to results,” he said.
The President added that the party had resolved to consolidate the gains recorded under the Second Republic and ensure that the country continued on its development trajectory. “Zanu-PF has resolved that the success registered under the Second Republic will continue,” he said.
He said the Government would also continue prioritising the empowerment of young people, women and other vulnerable groups as part of efforts to ensure inclusive economic growth.
“All sectors of the economy stand assured that the Zanu-PF Government will continue to create an environment where business and socio-economic activities can thrive,” President Mnangagwa said.
He said the Government would continue working with development partners, academia and the international community in advancing Zimbabwe’s national development agenda.
“Equally, partners, professors and the broader community of nations can count on our party,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was firmly focused on achieving higher levels of economic development and improving the standard of living of its citizens. “Now, Zimbabwe under Zanu-PF is not slowing down. We are moving with full speed ahead to modernise, industrialise and empower all our people towards a higher standard of living,” he said.
He urged party leaders and delegates to take the conference resolutions back to provinces and districts and ensure that they were translated into action.
“This is the message I urge us to report back to the leadership of our party across all provinces and all districts in Zimbabwe. The future is growing greater in the right time,” President Mnangagwa said.
President Mnangagwa also said Zanu-PF is a people-driven party and that this year’s annual conference had produced results that will benefit communities across the country.
He said it was the party’s duty to lead the development of the country towards Vision 2030. “As we conclude the business of this year’s conference, let us go back to our provinces and districts with our heads up high, proud of who we are and what we are achieving, to realise the aspirations of all communities in our motherland, Zimbabwe,” President Mnangagwa added.
“The conference deliberations were frank and constructive, with clear guidelines on the central work to be undertaken by Party and Government during the next year.
“We are emboldened by our sacred duty to develop, modernise, and industrialise our country in a peaceful and united environment.”
President Mnangagwa also said the conference served as a guide for the work ahead, reaffirming that success would be measured by tangible improvements in the daily lives of Zimbabweans.
The President said the 23rd Zanu-PF Annual People’s Conference reviewed the state of the party, the economy and society, while outlining programmes and policies to address prevailing challenges.
President Mnangagwa also urged party members to remain united and to continue working for the development of the party and the country.
He said the party should maintain an open-door policy and draw on diverse views from across society to strengthen its programmes and policies.
“Let us also maintain an open-door policy to harness the diverse inputs from all stakeholders across society,” he said.
“The important feedback from stakeholders such as our grassroots communities, religious leaders, academia, hospitalists, farmers, SMEs and entrepreneurs should continue to help strengthen, as well as sharpen, our wholesome, beautiful organisation.
“United we stand, divided we fall. So, unity is indispensable to our continued success.”
In an interview with the media after the conference, President Mnangagwa said he was happy with the way the conference had ended, given that every person was given an opportunity to express himself or herself.
“I am extremely happy. The conference has gone very well. I believe that everybody was given a chance to express themselves. If you have a situation where everybody agrees with everything, something is wrong,” said President Mnangagwa.
He said while there could be a few isolated cases of contradictions, the party remained united.
He said it was normal to have some few people failing to toe the party line in any revolution, but that did not distract the party from its trajectory.
“Well, the revolution is a process. It is a process from generation to generation. No one owns the revolution. The party is united. In any movement, you have people who divert from the centre of the party. That is expected. But overall, the party is united,” said President Mnangagwa.
“Any party, a revolutionary party, will always continue to have people who fall by the wayside, fail to toe the correct line. That happens. But as we go on, we continue to push the correct line for everybody.”
He said the party is always supreme over the Government.
“I am now over 80 years old. I am not aware of any situation where the Government has formed a party. But, I am aware of a party forming a Government,” said President Mnangagwa.
“The party establishes structures that are necessary for a Government or any other institutions that are necessary for good governance in society,” he said.
