Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Reporter
THE inaugural Zanu-PF Veterans League elective national conference which was initially set to kick off in the capital today will now be held from September 9-10 with the party’s First Secretary President Mnangagwa expected to officially open the indaba.
The conference comes after a successful holding of the district and provincial elections across the country in the last two weeks.
Freedom fighters from Bulawayo elected Cde Cephas Ncube as their chairperson while in Matabeleland North, Bubi Member of Parliament, Cde Sony Mguni was elected chairperson. Cde Alfred Moyo is the Matabeleland South chairperson.
Cde Ncube will be deputised by Cde Metron Mpofu while Cde Mathias Tshuma is the Secretary for Administration, Cde Juliet Sibanda is Secretary for Commissariat. Cde Stephen Nkomo got the Secretary for Security portfolio, Cde Matunha is the Secretary for Information and Publicity. The legal affairs secretary is Cde Maphios Moyo and Cde Mboneni Muleya is the secretary for Production and Labour while Cde Sheila Sidambe is the secretary for Indigenisation.
Cde Martha Ndlovu was elected Secretary for Health and Child Welfare, Cde Stalin Zowa the Secretary for Economic Affairs, Cde Million Ndebele will be in charge of the Education portfolio, Cde Raphael Nkala came in as Secretary for Lands with Cde Stephen Ndlovu and Cde Charles Ncube taking the Science and Technology as well as the Business Development portfolios.
The two committee members are Cdes Trevor Ncube and Shadreck Mhlaba.
Recommended for the national executive committee were Cdes Japhet Phuti, Sehluhle Jele, Christopher Sibanda and Abigail Nyamunda.
In Matabeleland North, Cde Mguni will be deputised by Cde Tedious Malubamba while Cde Albert Ncube is the Secretary for Administration, Cde Watson Chipa is the Secretary for Finance, Cde Lameck Ndlovu is the Secretary for the Commissariat. The Security portfolio was taken by Cde Jabulani Ndlovu, the Information and Publicity portfolio went to Cde Phineas Mbambo, Transport and Welfare portfolio was won by Cde Japhet Maphosa, Cde Josephine Zulu got the Legal Affairs Secretary position, Cde Dominic Lubase is the Secretary for Indigenisation, Cde Rosy Masuku landed the Secretary for Production and Labour post and Cde Priscilla Sithole becomes the Secretary for Health and Child Welfare.
Other elected members were Cde Enock Mutanga Secretary for Economic Affairs, Cde Benjamin Ndlovu Secretary for Education, Cde Ephraim Ncube Secretary for Gender and Culture, Cde Moffat Ndlovu Secretary for the Disabled, Cde Shadreck Mulotshwa Secretary for Lands and Resettlement, Cde Ega Sithole Secretary for Business Development, Cde Doctor Moyo Secretary for Science and Technology and Cde Pilate Ndlovu Secretary for Tourism, Environment and Hospitality. Cdes Vinote Ncube and Arabion Mpofu are the two committee members.
The province nominated Cdes Headman Moyo, Zenzo Ncube, Happiness Sibanda and Davison Ndlovu as candidates for the national executive committee.
In an interview yesterday War Veterans’ national director Cde Joseph Muchechetere said: “The national Veterans Conference will now be held next month, arrival date will be September 8 with the conference proper running from September 9-10 where we expect His Excellency and the party First Secretary President Mnangagwa to officially open the conference. We will also have elections for our national executive committee. All the positions as enshrined in our constitution except for the chairmanship will be contested for. The chairperson is a Presidential appointee because he is a member of the politburo so Cde Douglas Mahiya will remain chairperson until the party conference in October where the First Secretary will make politburo appointments. ”
Cde Muchechetere said each of the 72 administrative districts will have 26 delegates plus 40 provincial executive members per province as well as the four nominated members for the national executive committee per province.
Before the Unity Accord agreement, Zanu and Zapu comprised three Wings, Main, Women and Youth Wing. They also had the two armed wings, Zanla and Zipra.
After the creation of Zanu-PF in 1987 the party embraced the other three wings except the military wing which existed during the armed struggle.
As a result, a Central committee meeting of the party in November 2017 resolved to have a Veterans’ League in recognition of the role played by Zanla and Zipra combatants. In 2019, the Central Committee implemented the 2017 resolution by adopting the creation of the War Veterans League as an integral part of the party.
The Veterans League national executive committee will attend its inaugural Congress when the revolutionary party holds its 7th Congress from October 26-29.
Online Reporter