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Kennedy Mavhumashava
Like troops, Zanu-PF candidates for the forthcoming elections stood province by province on parade at the Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield on Friday before a colourful, huge crowd; their commander, President Mugabe readying them for battle. National Secretary for Administration, Cde Didymus Mutasa called out the names of every party candidate, province by province, constituency by constituency. With no exception, they went up to stand just in front of the dais facing party members and supporters who thronged the grounds to the south. Even Vice-President Joice Mujuru, the party candidate for Mt Darwin West National Assembly constituency and veteran Cde Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu (Insiza), lined up besides junior cadres like Cdes Kudzi Chipanga (Makoni West) and Tendai Wenyika-Gava (Harare Province women’s quota). They then went up the podium, shaking hands with National Chairman, Cde Simon Khaya Moyo, First Lady, Amai Grace Mugabe and the President.
It was an arduous process, calling out a long list of more than 300 names and shaking hands with every one of them, but one which does a lot to show the seriousness with which Zanu-PF is approaching the harmonised elections that are only 23 days. The choice of the venue for the official launch of the 2013 ‘Bhora Mugedhi/Ibhola Egedini’ election campaign and party manifesto — the historic Zimbabwe Grounds — was also significant. It was a dramatic scene of green, white and yellow, music, and dance.
President Mugabe for about two hours, rallied the revolutionary party candidates for a battle of their lives, a do-or-die election and a battle for survival.
“Will it be just 51 upon 100?” he asked.
“Fifty one percent, 60 percent, 70 percent, 80 percent, 90 percent or will it be upon-upon in every constituency. Let us expect that we lose one or two men who have fallen as soldiers in a fight but we shall be able to say that our victory was not less than 90 percent. Tell the rest of the country that you have seen the soldiers that we put together. We have shaken their hands and we have strengthened them as fighters on our behalf. Go ye fight the battle and come back and tell us that you have won. Go ye meet the people, talk to the people, because you came from the people, you were elected. Go back to them and join forces in going to the national battle. It’s a battle for survival and all of us should support them. We shall work together and make the pledge that we of Zanu-PF do not know defeat. We, yes, suffer losses, losses of individuals here and there, a setback but we are able to re-organise and come back invigorated and wage a real, real, vigorous, devastating battle and this one should be a fight of our lives.”
He said Zanu-PF was the only party that was principled and had pro-people policies such as land reforms, indigenisation and economic empowerment and defence of national independence and sovereignty.
“We are a party with definite principles that serve people, a party that looks at the situation of the people all the time and formulates policies in view of the situation affecting the people. We are a party with a definite ideology that is the source of its policies. We are a people-oriented organisation; we are a socialist organisation as well. We can’t go back to 2008.”
The manifesto that he launched is a comprehensive 108-page document that not only looks five years into the future but also gives programmes and policies that Zanu-PF has implemented over the past decades to benefit the masses. They include delivering national independence, democracy and freedom in 1980, provision of education, health and other social services, national unity, the land reform programme and the ongoing indigenisation and economic empowerment drive.
“There are at least 23 goals of the people that are at the core of what Zanu-PF has done for the people over the years,” the manifesto reads in part.
“For example in the historic indigenisation of land whose huge success is now widely acknowledged and the same goals are inherent to Zanu-PF’s policy of taking back the economy through the current thrust of indigenisation and people’s empowerment policy intended to benefit the totality of the people as communities . . . This policy will be the centre-piece of the work programme of the Government over the next five years between 2013 and 2018.”
According to the manifesto, a new Zanu-PF government would create value of $7,3 billion from the indigenisation of 1 138 companies across 14 sectors of the economy as well as more than $1,8 trillion from idle value of empowerment assets to be unlocked from parastatals, local authorities and mineral rights and claims. As many as 2, 2 million jobs would be created as a result.
In his speech, the President said MDC-T does not deserve anyone’s vote because it was a foreign-inspired outfit that is also riddled with corruption, incompetence and immorality. He urged Zanu-PF leaders to avoid these ills.
“Even in Zanu-PF uhori (bad behaviours) huriko, uhori hwemeso meso. Zvino vana zvavava kugeza. Vonzi vachenerei? Zvino woti uyu watora, wokanda pasi. (Some men in Zanu-PF like women so much). So if you look at MDC-T, it’s rotten from the top,” he said to a round of applause and whistles. “It is like that bird which moves from one flower to the other. We must behave.” He was apparently referring to MDC-T leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai who has gained a reputation for womanising.
On corruption in urban councils that were led by MDC-T, he said Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister, Dr Ignatius Chombo, had to intervene to bring sanity by firing corrupt councillors.
“We have seen what those representatives to local government did when they had access to money. Councillors thought that the money paid by people for water was theirs. They lacked knowledge that the money is for maintenance and development of water reticulation systems, not for them. Councillors are not paid a salary but are elected to serve the people. They are not there to finance a good life for them, that’s theft. That is why Dr Chombo fired some.”
Musicians and musical groups, Sulumani Chimbetu, Jah Prayzar, Born Free Crew, Mbare Chimurenga Choir, Vabvuvi, and Mathias Mhere performed at the event.
For many Zanu-PF cadres, being at Zimbabwe Grounds on Friday was symbolic as a journey into the past.
As a 14-year-old, Elifasi Mashaba was one of the hundreds of thousands who converged at the historic grounds as Cde Mugabe addressed his first rally in the country on 27 January 1980 after the liberation war.
Now 47, Cde Mashaba is the party’s National Assembly candidate for Nketa in Bulawayo.
“I was here in 1980,” said Cde Mashaba on Friday.
“I was 14 years old then, so this is a massive experience for me today. I witnessed the birth of Zimbabwe in 1980 here; today I am witnessing the re-birth of the country. I am confident that we will regain lost seats, especially in Bulawayo. This time we are dealing with the enemy, beating the enemy hands down. From here, we are going forward. It’s a non-stop campaign and delivery to the people. People are tired of empty promises. I hear about coalitions, but I say let them do whatever they can, we will still beat them.”
National Secretary for the Commissariat, Cde Webster Shamu said the President used his money to buy the party regalia that basically everyone in the grounds was wearing. More of that would be made available as the campaign proceeds, he said, adding that this time, the caps and T-shirts would be given straight to cells, not to provincial or district structures. The cell is the lowest, but most crucial structure of the party to which every single member belongs.
“Politburo members would get their regalia from their cells as well,” he told the cheering audience.
Cde Fanuel Chimbindi, a party member from Epworth expressed confidence that Zanu-PF would resoundingly win the elections. He said he looked forward to a peaceful election campaign and unity in the revolutionary party.
He said: “Zanu-PF is tried and tested. No doubt we will be victorious. I am not saying this just for the sake of it. Zanu-PF is the only party that has eased the challenges the people are facing. It has given us land, independence, freedom and democracy. Through the empowerment programme, it is fighting poverty. People will vote for a party that fulfills its promises, a party that has an ideology. It has pro-people policies that benefit the grassroots. Through the land reform programme, we see poor people being lifted out of poverty. People now see that it is not just about whites. Look at tobacco. Our people are doing well. That is because of Zanu-PF. These people (farmers) must be supported. Another key area is mining. What I am talking about are not promises, but what is happening.”
Cde Morrison Mafuta, from Harare South constituency urged unity between those who won and lost party primaries.
Cde Faresi Mutete was at the grounds with her husband and children. “I am happy because of the huge attendance,” she said.
“It tells the opposition how strong a force Zanu-PF is. The party has already won the elections. This is an important event for my family. Everyone is here, my husband and children to support the President and the party.”
Online Reporter