adminNqobile Tshili and Patrick Chitumba Chronicle Reporters
ZANU-PF Matabeleland North and Bulawayo provinces have set November 21 and November 29 as their fundraising dinner dates ahead of the party’s national conference to be held next month in Victoria Falls.
Matabeleland North, the host province, has started accrediting members who will attend the national conference from December 7 to 13.
Matabeleland North provincial chairman Cde Richard Moyo said the completion of the restructuring process had made it easier for them to prepare for the party’s annual conference.
“We’re almost done restructuring and our accreditation started today in Lupane. All National Consultative Assembly members, Politburo members, Central Committee members and newly elected district and provincial chairpersons will be accredited for the congress,” said Cde Moyo.
He said on November 21 the province will hold its fundraising dinner and they expect to raise between $150,000 and $200,000, more than the $50,000 set by the party.
“We were given a target of $50,000 as a province. But as the hosting province we want to raise more money so that when we encounter challenges we will know what to do,” he said.
Cde Moyo said Victoria Falls has no capacity to accommodate all the delegates and plans are on course to house some of them in Hwange Town.
In Bulawayo, the conference’s provincial organising secretary Cde Absolom Sikhosana said they would hold a fundraising dinner on November 29.
He said they have identified institutions to approach ahead of the fundraising dinner.
“We’re in the process of mobilising funds. We want to raise even up to $500,000 for the smooth running of the conference. We’ve identified businesses, parastatals and other companies that we think can assist us in raising the needed money,” said Cde Sikhosana.
Matabeleland South acting chairperson Cde Rabelani Choeni said preparations are on course in the province although delays in the restructuring process have stalled fundraising processes.
Cde Choeni said the province would meet tomorrow to come up with a plan.
“We are still waiting for the completion of the restructuring process. After that we will tell you of our position. We will call another meeting on Thursday following last Saturday’s meeting. From there we will inform people to start running around,” said Cde Choeni.
Midlands provincial party spokesperson, Cde Cornelius Mupereri, said accreditation for the delegates to attend the national conference in Victoria Falls would be held on November 21 in Zvishavane before the team proceeds to Gweru on November 23 and Gokwe on November 25 for the same exercise.
“As a province, we have a duty and mandate to fundraise for the National People’s Conference and therefore the need to put our house in order and put our machinery ready for the conference. Our target is $50,000 and we working flat out to raise it,” said Cde Mupereri.
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