The Sunday News
Bruce Ndlovu/ Judith Phiri, Sunday News Reporters
THERE will be no political sub-plots when the ruling party gathers for the Zanu-PF Annual People’s Conference at Mzingwane High School at Esigodini in Matabeleland South, with finding a cure for the country’s economic challenges set to be the primary focus of the 17th edition of the annual gathering.
Preparations for the conference are already at an advanced stage, with Zanu-PF Secretary for Finance Cde Patrick Chinamasa revealing to our sister paper, Chronicle last week that accommodation for delegates have been secured while 88 buses have been secured for their smooth movement to the conference venue. With the logistics of the conference being handled efficiently, attention is now shifting to the agenda of the conference, the first of its kind after the ruling party romped to victory in the 30 July plebiscite.
Zanu-PF Matabeleland South youth chairperson Cde Washington Nkomo said politics would play second fiddle to the economy.
“We’re hoping that this conference sets the base for the economic upliftment of the country. It should lay the foundation for the economic revival of Zimbabwe. If you look at the agenda of the conference, the economy will be at the forefront of what will be discussed and resolved. Everyone knows that the country has challenges right now. We have to do something as a ruling party and support Government so that we assist and help the majority of our people who are struggling,” Cde Nkomo said.
The elections, Cde Nkomo said, have come and gone and hence it would be beneficial if everyone put it behind them and focused on steering the country out of its economic quagmire.
“We also want people to understand that we are no longer in an election mode. The elections are done and dusted. Zanu-PF won and the President is Cde ED Mnangagwa and nothing will change. The fact that Zanu-PF has got a two thirds majority in Parliament also won’t change. So the focus of each and every Zimbabwean should be on reviving the economy,” he said.
Cde Nkomo said while some seemed hell-bent on sabotaging the country’s economic revival efforts, the upcoming conference would be used to drive home the point that the country would do better if everyone is pulling in the same direction.
Cde Nkomo said the conference should not be used as a convenient holiday by delegates, as everyone should roll up their sleeves and get on with the serious business of solving the country’s problems.
“This is a Zanu-PF stronghold and we are happy to be hosting the annual conference which will see the great political minds of the country converge on Esigodini. We want to say to the delegates, ‘let’s not feel at home in Esigodini but rather let’s feel at work’. People should not come for a good time but rather they should put their thinking caps on and prepare to work for the people of Zimbabwe. That’s the spirit in which we would like to see the conference take place,” he said.
The conference will be held in the shadow of the gold wars that have plagued Esigodini, with many fatalities recorded in recent months, and Cde Nkomo said although the issue might not be on the overall agenda of the conference it would still be addressed sufficiently.
“We’re not saying that we want the issue of the gold wars to be on the agenda per se. Yes, what has been happening is bad, we don’t want people fighting and killing each other over the country’s natural resources. Yes, that issue will be discussed in committees but perhaps not as part of the overall agenda necessarily. I’m saying this because this issue also affects the security of citizens. So far we’re happy with Government’s intervention because they’re in full force on the ground and made a difference even before the conference,” he said.
Cde Nkomo said he was encouraged by the support that they had received in the run-up to the conference, which showed the support that the party had even at grassroots level. Despite the progress made, Cde Nkomo said the host province was still moving around cap in hand, as they appealed for any assistance they could get from well-wishers.
“We do hope that we meet all set targets just in time for the conference. So far I can say everything has gone according to plan. We just need to mobilise resources for the conference so that there are no glitches when it eventually kicks off. We’re still in the process of mobilising. With that in mind, we’re still appealing to people that want to help to chip in. That’s a call I’m making to everyone who is a friend of Zanu-PF and those that love the party,” he said.
Meanwhile, more than 100 cattle have been mobilised to feed thousands of Zanu-PF delegates during the conference. In an interview last week, Zanu-PF Matabeleland South chairman Cde Rabelani Choeni said preparations for the conference were going on well. The conference will run under the theme, “Zimbabwe is open for business: In unity and peace towards an upper middle income economy by 2030.”
“We have managed to acquire the beasts with more still coming, last time they were 68, went on to 78 now they will add on to 88 then 108 before the end of this week as the cattle keep on coming.
“For mealie-meal and vegetables we have secured that from local farmers. As Matabeleland South we are doing what we can, while the party is mobilising the resources from all over the country,” he said.
Cde Choeni said most of the work ahead of the conference was on target. He said roads have been spruced up and 88 buses have also been secured for the smooth movement of party members to the conference venue.
