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Bruce Ndlovu in Lupane
THE ruling party, Zanu-PF, is set to roll out its voter registration, cell building and verification programme, while also taking stock of its ranks around the country, as preparations for this year’s harmonised elections gather pace.
The party yesterday convened Provincial Co-ordinating Committee (PCC) meetings across the country in preparation for the process, which will begin on a date that is yet to be announced. The party last year introduced a National Cell Day, which will be celebrated annually to strengthen its grassroots, organisational and mass mobilisation units.
In a notice that was read during the Matabeleland North PCC meeting, the party’s Commissariat Department advised cadres that the verification process would begin in due course, with the programme set to enable the party to scientifically gauge its membership and support ahead of the elections later this year.
“We are aware that our cell or village structures are critical for enhancing our support base and creation of other party structures. Therefore, in order to ensure that these cell or village structures are in existence and authentic, they must be created and verified annually. In this regard, the Commissariat Department will roll out a countrywide process of cell village building and verification on dates yet to be confirmed.
This programme is being held in fulfillment of the party’s constitution, Article 15, Section 143 which states that members of the cell or village committee, shall hold office for a period of one year.
Furthermore, this programme is being held against the backdrop of the 2023 harmonised election campaign hence the need for the party to have solid grassroots structures. Apart from enabling the party to scientifically account for its membership, the existence of verified cell or village structures will also be instrumental in conducting internal party elections or any other general elections,” the notice read.
The cell building exercise shall be conducted by district and branch executives in their respective areas, supervised by a constituency command centre.
Speaking during the Matabeleland North PCC meeting, the party’s Secretary for Administration, Dr Obert Mpofu, said the cell and village structure verification process would also help party leaders at various levels understand the limits of mandates they had been given.
“We have groups that, from now onwards, will be coming to you to verify the cell and village structures. This verification of structures is important because we have realised that some of us do not know where their duties start and end. If one is in the national structures, they have no business interesting with happenings at a district level. We need to clear up some of this confusion,” he said.
During the meeting, Dr Mpofu also lambasted party cadres who seemed driven by petty self-interests, as they chase their own ambitions ahead of what is good for the party and country.
He said Matabeleland North as a province was respected because of the disciplined and respectful calibre of cadres it seemed to produce, something that needed to be replicated across the party’s structures in the country.
“People that want positions are the ones that want to destroy our party. These individuals do not want to move on even after they lose. They don’t love the party but they just want things aligned towards their own interests. These are the same people that fail to execute their mandate when they get those positions because they do not know what they are meant to do. Matabeleland North is respected by all the other provinces because of the way we conduct ourselves.
We are a positive example because of the level of discipline and organisation that we have attained as a province. However, I also want to emphasise to those comrades that are pulling us back that this is a mass party whose hallmark is discipline. When you leave home and go to a Zanu-PF meeting, you should remind yourself that you’re now going to a meeting of the people’s party, a party that you cannot personalise,” he said.
Provincial party chairman, Cde Richard Moyo said provincial leaders have been on the ground in various districts, emphasizing on the importance of selling President Mnangagwa’s vision to the rest of the country.
He also encouraged members of the party to shun infighting.
“We have been to many districts recently and wherever we go, message is the same. We tell the people that we have only one candidate, who is President Mnangagwa and we are explaining the good job that he has been doing for Zimbabwe in the last five years.
He has done all that he has despite the fact that the county is under sanctions and has no access to lines of credit.
“During these inter-district meetings, we leave members of the party with talking points because as we go towards elections, they are the ones in a position to articulate the President’s vision in a proper manner.
At the same time, we use these meetings to tell the people that they should not start jostling for positions and instead they should let MPs and councillors currently serving to finish their terms. There’s no sun that rises before another has set,” he said.
Online Reporter