The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
ZANU-PF cadres aspiring to be Members of Parliament in the forthcoming harmonised elections would have to attend the Chitepo School of Ideology before participating in primary elections so that they appreciate the party philosophy.
Addressing a Provincial Co-ordinating Committee (PCC) meeting in Gweru on Friday, the party’s Deputy National Commissar, Cde Omega Hungwe, said it was incumbent upon the party leadership to reorient the revolutionary party members following its recent fumigation from factionalism.
She said it was therefore imperative for all members aspiring to represent the party in the forthcoming elections to first attend the Chitepo School of Ideology.
“Our party had been infiltrated by people who were harbouring a western agenda and trying to usurp power from legitimate leaders of the party who have a rich political history and unquestionable war credentials. (Professor) Jonathan Moyo and Tyson (Saviour Kasukuwere) wanted to usurp power from former President Cde Robert Mugabe using Grace (Mugabe) as a conduit to leap to the summit. They influenced a lot of people in the party.
“Our party started grappling with factionalism because our members were losing focus and lacking ideology. Now all members of the party should attend the Chitepo School of Ideology. Once we understand our party ideology, its values and principles then our party will have direction. It is now imperative for all cadres aspiring to represent the party in the forthcoming harmonised elections to attend the Chitepo School of Ideology so that discipline is instilled in them,” she said.
Cde Hungwe said Zanu-PF would be holding its intra-party elections from cell (level) up the provincial executives between this month and March after which primary elections would be held in preparation for the harmonised elections. She said the party wanted to ensure free, fair, peaceful and transparent primary elections.
“I would want to inform you that the party is restructuring. We are looking forward to having elections of our cell structures before the end of this month. This will be followed by our branches and districts next month. We will then go to the provincial executives probably in March. These will be followed by primary elections.
“Our President has said we will have elections in about five months. As a party we are going to have primary elections before the harmonised elections. We want free, fair, transparent and peaceful primary elections. We do not want to repeat what happened in 2013 where the process was flawed,” she said.
Cde Hungwe also castigated the now defunct G40 cabal for trying to orchestrate President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s death through poisoning and hiring of a hit man. She said the $10 million which was allegedly found stashed at a former minister’s house was meant to pay a hit man to assassinate President Mnangagwa.
