adminMuchadura Dube
The ongoing restructuring exercise which has seen Zanu-PF choosing substantive office holders in some provinces remains a key component in the restructuring of the party. Whilst some fly by night political parties such as the so called People’s Democratic Party led by the apparently ailing Tendai Biti make unsubstantiated claims to be the fourth biggest political party based on hear say or say hallucinations, Zanu-PF’s dominance and certainly top position in the Zimbabwean political landscape is drawn from tangible support which any ordinary Zimbabwean or any interested political pundit can prove.
Even the garrulous Biti gave testimony to all who cared to listen that Zanu-PF is the only party with the people’s passion at heart hence its undisputed king status in the political arena. One might wonder where the secret to its unchallenged dominance lies, it is in its ability to mobilise and structure its organ gram each time it renews their leadership and membership status.
That naturally injects a sense of belonging amongst the grassroots and their leadership who then assumes the position of owners of the institution. Once one has the feeling and reality of owning an entity, any attempts to remove him/her from that pedestal will be overwhelmingly resisted.
The nagging reason for that resistance is the concept of ownership which the cadres have wholeheartedly accepted and permanently adopted. The concept of ownership pervades the whole gamut of the Zanu-PF structure for in ownership is the fundamental idea of identity with one’s background and resources.
The process of restructuring ensures that leadership renewal is not only talked about but rather lived. The grassroots has the opportunity to select new leadership, with those who are executing their task well retaining their posts whilst those who are lacking in some aspects are democratically eliminated from their posts.
The net effect of such a move is to ensure that the democratic practice is firmly entrenched in the people by ensuring that leaders emanate and derive their authority from the people, which is a hallmark and irreplaceable feature of the democratic culture.
The party, Zanu-PF, has firm roots which are deeply entrenched in the democratic practices. This is contrary to the long ‘spinned’ lie from the nation’s detractors who out of their frustration would want to project Zimbabwe in bad light. Even with that protracted media onslaught against Zimbabwe, it will be hard for these evil practitioners to take away the gloss inherent in country’s body politic.
In restructuring and reconfiguring of the party’s activities and programmes, Zanu-PF has a potent weapon which it wields to defend the revolution. The restructuring exercise is not a matter of a number of people being assembled rather it is a complex exercise which then involves explaining to the people the purpose even of the revolutionary stance and the need for leadership to serve the populace.
It is what some would term indoctrination in ordinary parlance; it gives the much needed bonding to the cadreship which will be eternally essential to metamorphosis of the revolution. It is essential to note that it is such occasions where even the grassroots can recommend able cadres to some positions of authority, the net result being the solidification of the party.
The example of Mashonaland East where Biggie Matiza was overwhelmingly elected to lead that vast province after democratic elections was held. Isn’t this a sign of deepening internal democracy by the party which will make the party a strong entity? The people made their choice and it was endorsed by the highest office in the party, that of the First Secretary and his politburo.
It is a firm testament of democratic credentials which have made the party to be the solid institution it is today. The Mashonaland East restructuring had a bit of a comic chapter for it witnessed the demise of the Mujuru putshist cabal which the party was cleansed of. These putshist elements were undesirable entities that were bent on soiling the image of the party through evil machination which bordered on treasonous activities.
The Mujuru cabal was led by one moron, Ray Kaukonde who foolishly led party activists to practice anti-establishment activities. Zanu-PF being the vigorous and robust machinery it is managed to detect that anomaly early leading to them being given various sentences ranging from suspension to outright expulsion.
These personalities like Kaukonde led the provincial affairs of the party as if they were their personal fiefdoms with some even alleging that some cadres’ wives were at the mercy of these callous characters. The sound Zanu-PF machinery in Mashonaland East which now exists in Mashonaland East after the flushing out of bad apples is a reflection of the restructuring exercise which culminated in the election of a provincial leadership by the people, for the people.
The province of Manicaland is having an ongoing restructuring exercise which will culminate in the elections which will result in the election of substantive party office holders. Having humiliated the opposition parties in the 2013 harmonised elections, a united Zanu-PF will once again romp to victory in the 2018 harmonised plebiscite, naturally this victory will be greatly attributed to effective and efficient internal democratic tendencies such as the noble restructuring initiative.
A glance into the activities of other political parties such as the Movement for Democratic Change and the so called People’s Democratic Party will show political entities in pandemonium, a lot of hogwash guessing which is meant for only dream land which is devoid of realism which is critical in political adventurism.
It is therefore an informed and correct postulation which Tendai Biti made when he proclaimed and announced the already known fact that Zanu- PF is the only people’s choice. Biti painstakingly tried to announce the already known and accepted Only a fool can ignore such glaring reality. It can only make sense to join them if one cannot overpower them. Zanu-PF indeed rules the roost.
Online Reporter