The Sunday News
Leonard Ncube in Lupane
THE Zanu-PF Matabeleland North Province has endorsed President Mugabe as the party’s Presidential candidate for the 2018 elections, affirming that he is the only centre of power in the party.
The province held a Provincial Coordinating Committee meeting in Lupane yesterday, the last before going to the party’s 16th Annual National People’s Conference next month and members endorsed President Mugabe as their candidate.
“As Matabeleland North Province, what we agreed on when we amended the constitution in 2014 that President Mugabe is the only centre of power and the appointing authority for Vice-Presidents isn’t changing,” said provincial party chairman Cde Richard Moyo.
He added: “Our resolution as Matabeleland North is that President Mugabe is our candidate for 2018.” The position was also ratified by the Documentation Committee chaired by Politburo Member Advocate Jacob Mudenda whose report said President Mugabe remained the centre of power. Cde Moyo said the province was ready for the upcoming National Conference to be hosted by Masvingo Province from 13 to 17 December.
“All committees have been preparing and we are ready as a province to go to Masvingo for the conference. As provincial leadership we would want to thank you all and all stakeholders for the work you have been doing for the whole year,” he said.
The PCC which was attended by provincial, Central and Politburo members Cdes Mudenda, Sithembiso Nyoni and Thokozile Mathuthu started with a Provincial Executive Council meeting to update each other on the preparations for the conference.
Sub-committees charged with co-ordinating preparations for the conference gave reports. Chairperson for security and accreditation committee Cde Sikhanyisiwe Mpofu said a total of 307 delegates had been accredited out of a targeted 427.
The province is still waiting for direction from the national office on some names that had been added to the list of delegates.
Cde Mpofu said the 307 include delegates, service providers, security to accompany buses and “only those that are accredited will be allowed to board buses.”
“We had three accreditation centres in Lupane, Binga and Umguza and we still have a challenge of some names that came after we had sent the list to Harare and we await a response from the head office. Politburo and Central Committee members will be accredited in Harare at the last Central Committee meeting,” she said.
Chairperson of the fund-raising committee Cde Nyoni said half of the targeted $50 000 had been raised as she bemoaned weak response from the business committee.
“The committee worked hard though we didn’t get what we targeted. It’s a sad chapter but let’s support our activities as party members. We are still lobbying and appealing for assistance as we continue following up on letters we dispatched to people and companies,” she said. A fund-raising dinner in Victoria Falls early this month failed to raise any meaningful funds as stakeholders and some party members snubbed it.
Each province is expected to raise $50 000 for the conference, plus other material provisions such as food.
Advocate Mudenda, who chairs the documentation committee, said a number of resolutions had been made to recommend development in social services, infrastructure development, Command Agriculture where the province seeks consideration for cattle production in the system. The resolutions will be presented at the conference.
Twitter: @ncubeleon
