The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
ZANU-PF members have been encouraged to uphold high levels of discipline and unity within their structures as they grow and strengthen the party ahead of the harmonised elections next year.
Speaking at a Ward 25B Verification Exercise in Nketa suburb yesterday, Zanu-PF Bulawayo Provincial Chairman Cde Jabulani Sibanda said the party was sacred and must not be a playing ground for opportunists who want to promote individual interests.
He also said ex-detainees and war collaborators must be united and disciplined just as they were in the front.
Vote
“Some of you were in the liberation struggle, you were united for one cause then, and I want to urge you to be united even today moving forward. We have people who are influencing others here not to vote for other members. Remain resolute in the party’s ideology, do not be weak. You should always remember that the struggle was not easy and you must protect it,” he said.
He said there were individuals who were after positions and not willing to work for the party saying the party was not going to tolerate such members who were bent on destroying the gains made so far.
“The party is built on ideology only and nothing more. We need to be jealous of our party and protect it, and that is the only way you can serve effectively. Work for the party and guard it like a woman guards her children,” he said.
Cde Sibanda said party members must rally behind selected party candidates for any elections despite their differences and work around garnering support for them.
“We will definitely win the elections in this area and I am confident, I urge Cde Nsingo (Sinothi) to work with everyone as you build the party. Do not be selective but have everyone participating. We do not want to leave anyone behind as we prepare for the elections. The party is made up of all that we do today to preserve the fruits of the future,” he said.
vehicles
He also touched on the use of party allocated vehicles saying there were vehicles that were not being used for their intended purpose in Bulawayo.
“There are vehicles that were allocated to constituencies, but we seldom see them doing party business, I only see Cde Eliphas Mashaba’s vehicle doing work, even when we request for assistance with vehicles for meetings and other businesses, he is always there but the rest are nowhere to be found. That must stop,” he said.
Cde Sibanda said party members must stand united in protecting the gains of the liberation struggle and further growing the party than fighting for positions.
“I believe in every woman, and youth in this party, we need to feel the pain in fighting for this party, it is temporary but the fruits are good so the challenges we face today are preparing us for a better tomorrow. If we choose leaders, let’s not remove them when their term is still running, let’s run with one chosen person at a time than to start looking for other candidates, even if you do not particularly agree on certain things with that candidate, let us do party business than to work on personalities,” added Cde Sibanda.
He took a swipe at party members who were fanning tribalism saying Zanu-PF is a party for all interested people regardless of their tribe.
“No vote carries a tribe, no constituency carries a tribe, we are all Zimbabweans. We should not tolerate such divisive practices in the party, we are one and we should serve as such. Even when employing people, do not discriminate according to tribe, we should work as one nation,” added Cde Sibanda.
The party provincial chairman also said the youths must take advantage of a new outfit, Young Women for Economic Development to learn about income generating projects that were fronted by young women. He said it was an opportunity for youths to gain entrepreneurial skills and generate their own income.
@NyembeziMu
