The Sunday News
Harare Bureau
DELIBERATIONS at the annual indaba of the ruling party scheduled for Goromonzi, Mashonaland East this week, will mainly focus on “challenges facing the country”, particularly prices of basic commodities and improving people’s standard of living, Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Dr Obert Mpofu has said.
About 5 000 party delegates from across the country are expected to attend the 18th Annual People’s Conference at Goromonzi High School. Another 2 000 participants from private organisations, including other political parties, will also attend.
The five-day event kicks off with Politburo and Central Committee meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
Delegates are expected to travel to the venue on Thursday, where proceedings will begin the next day. However, discussions at the conference, which is running under the theme “Modernise, Mechanise and Grow the Economy”, would likely centre on policies to grow the economy and improve people’s livelihoods.
“We understand the challenges facing the country in terms of prices of basic commodities. As you aware, the President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) recently directed the return of subsidies. We are sensitive to the plight of our people that after this conference it will be all systems go, for the betterment of the life of our people.”
Cabinet Ministers have been invited to give an outline of the progress made in the journey to achieve a moderately prosperous society in 11 years’ time. Government’s Vision 2030 is premised on establishing an upper-middle income society, which implies growing the country’s economic output (gross domestic product) from an estimated US$25 billion last year to US$65 billion in 2030.
Delegates, Dr Mpofu said, will break into select committees where resolutions will be drawn on the deliverables that people expect in the coming year. Some of the key issues on the agenda include devolution, food security, social services, macro-economic stability, inclusive growth, infrastructure development, as well as value-addition and beneficiation. People will also know what to expect next year, added Dr Mpofu.
He said: “So there is going to be a takeaway for everyone. They will have a deeper understanding of how the economy is running and what they can also look forward to in the next year. That is why at the end of the conference, there will be resolutions that will aim to direct Government on what they need to do to better people’s lives.”
Meanwhile, Zanu-PF has a mandate to mobilise at least five million members before 2023 that would translate into votes to ensure a resounding victory for President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the revolutionary party.
Addressing party members during a Provincial inter district conference in Gweru yesterday, National Political Commissar Cde Victor Matemadanda said the party should shun divisions and focus on rectifying problems and mistakes made in the 2018 harmonised elections.
“We have a five million challenge as a party. Let us forget about the numbers that MPs get. It focuses on the President. Inept and weak leaders will fold and bow out because we have a rigorous and vigorous recruitment campaign. The number that voted for President was 2.5 million and between now and 2023 we need to cultivate another 2.5 million to vote for the President. We just do not want members. We want that number to translate to votes.”
Cde Matemadanda bemoaned back biting and backstabbing in the party which he said was rampant in the Midlands Province.
He said it was disheartening to note that there were people who were abusing President Mnangagwa’s name and intimidating others in the party. Cde Matemadanda added that there was no room for nepotism in the party.
Meanwhile, Midlands Province has endorsed President Mnangagwa as the party candidate for 2023. The provincial resolutions were announced by Provincial Vice-Chairman Cde Robson Nyathi. The war veterans, women’s and youth leagues also concurred and corroborated the main wing. Cde Nyathi said Midlands Province will send 563 delegates to the people’s National Conference to be held in Goromonzi. He said the province will also raise $ 500 000 for the conference as per party request.
“Each district will be sending one representative. We are finalising the amount that we have raised and we hope that by Monday all the resources will be in place,” he said.
