Chronicle Editor
Dr Obert Moses Mpofu
“WE must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” This famous quote from Martin Luther King Jr resonates with the message that was conveyed during the just ended Zanu-PF National People’s Conference, which was held at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre in Bulawayo.
As we have just concluded our premier event on the Party calendar, it is worth noting that this has perhaps been one of the most successful conferences we have held in recent years. Bulawayo Province should be commended for hosting a very successful conference.
This conference truly reflected Zanu-PF’s organisational capabilities. Truly, there is nothing that Zanu-PF cannot do when we set our minds to something. We are enduring.
Zanu-PF conferences have often served as the ideal opportunity for the party to introspect and come up with resolutions to drive the Government agenda forward. This year, it was no different. Bulawayo Province delivered a conference that was well organised and one that managed to ensure that deliberations were fruitful.
The gathering in Bulawayo demonstrated how serious Zanu-PF takes issues to do with improving the lives of our people. Whatever Zanu-PF endeavours to do is for the benefit of our people and nothing else. This is what we have done previously and continue to do.
The 21st National People’s Conference has re-energised our party as we strive towards Vision 2030. The conference provided the opportunity to discuss issues pertinent to our nation and its people. It is indeed evident that the conference has renewed our vigour and hope. This year’s conference ran under the theme, “Industrialise and Modernise Towards the Attainment of Vision 2030”.
This theme spoke to our aspirations as a nation. We are determined towards meeting the target of being an Upper Middle-Income society by 2030. Zanu-PF is a welfarist party with the people at heart. We will not deviate from this conviction.
The most visible feature of this conference was how Zanu-PF remains united. Unity truly is the Zanu-PF way. Unity is the most essential cog in ensuring progress and development. Those prophets of doom and nay-sayers who were peddling lies that the conference was for other purposes other than what is provided for by Article Six, Section 33 of our constitution have been put to shame.
It is shameful how time and again there are incessant efforts aimed at distorting the Party’s message.
We have proved time and again that Zanu-PF is a constitutional party and we will not deviate from our Constitution, which acts as our guide in all our operations and activities.
Our 21st National People’s Conference was a success as it went on without a glitch. Delegates from all over the country thronged the ZIEC in Bulawayo to congregate for this auspicious occasion.
This year’s conference was even more special as it coincided with the Anti-Sanctions Day on 25 October and it was indeed more befitting that the anti-sanctions day be commemorated on the opening day of our conference.
This year, like many years before, since the imposition of the illegal sanctions on us, we amplified our voice against the imposition of illegal sanctions by launching a digital enabled national anti-sanctions petition programme.
The initiative enables citizens to digitally append their signatures on a petition to express their rejection of these sanctions through online platforms.
Media houses and practitioners and other anti-sanctions lobby groups are called upon to partner with this initiative. The fight against sanctions thus continues unabated. We will not yield until all forms of sanctions imposed on our country are stricken off.
Now, the conference, as usual, came up with a list of resolutions for implementation by the government, which acts as the agent in this case. The Government has been given resolutions to ensure that they improve the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans and ensure that we meet the targets of Vision 2030.
The Zanu-PF Government led by President Mnangagwa will strive to ensure that all the resolutions adopted at the conference are implemented.
Contrary to expectations from our enemies, we delivered a drama-free conference. Our conference in Bulawayo was a resounding success.
To summarise the conference, we resolved to continue united as a Party and continue working for the betterment of our nation. Now that the conference is over, and the resolutions have been made, its back to work as we aim to meet our national aspirations.
Dr Obert Moses Mpofu is an academic and the Secretary-General of Zanu-PF. He writes in his own capacity.
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