VP Chiwenga tells Zanu-PF
but in Zanu-PF there are no winners or losers,” he said.
“We are all winners. It doesn’t mean winners have to gloat and think the party belongs to them alone. If someone wins know that tomorrow it will be your turn. Let’s have the spirit of self-criticism. It doesn’t matter who has won. We must support each other.”
VP Chiwenga said party cadres should cherish and safeguard the independence that came after a protracted liberation struggle.
“Zanu-PF has a history as a party, not just of competing in elections, but of having fought a bitter and bloody war to liberate the majority of Zimbabweans,” VP Chiwenga said.
“No one will erase that history because the country did not come on a silver platter. Thousands perished and are lying in mass graves in and outside the country.
“While we are in here, let’s note that what is important is putting the interests and objectives of the party at the forefront because those are the same reasons sons and daughters of the soil perished for.”
Turning to the election campaign, VP Chiwenga said it should be “free of violence, deepen the spirit of tolerance and be guided by the understanding that we are all children of Zimbabwe and above all we are God’s children.”
“You shall be provoked in this campaign by our detractors, even by our fellow comrades, but the spirit of tolerance must be within you,” VP Chiwenga said.
“We have all come of age and there is no need for fighting. We must not behave like the political juveniles who are running all over the place and say useless things.
“We want the election to be free and accepted by everyone, even those who despise us. We should show them that Zimbabwe has come of age and we know what we are doing. Fighting does not help us at all.”
VP Chiwenga said the participation of many candidates in the primary elections was meant to enhance democracy within Zanu-PF.
“From the onset, we knew the whole process was going to be a mammoth task considering that this was the first time we had embarked on such a process,” VP Chiwenga said.
“However, the commissariat department did its best under the circumstances to ensure that the process was a success. To be honest with ourselves, we have to acknowledge that the entire process was a learning curve, hence challenges were encountered in both cell verification and the primary election.
“Our main challenge was anchored on our quest to ensure that as many candidates as possible participated in the elections.”
Chitepo Ideological School principal Cde Munyaradzi Machacha said the workshop would focus on topics which included internal democracy and its challenges, presentation of the party manifesto, opposition parties’ messages and strategy and Zanu-PF’s campaign strategy.
“Some of us are holding high positions for the first time and this workshop will have to train and equip them with relevant skills and knowledge that come with those posts,” he said.
“After the workshop, we should come out more united and give opposition parties a massive defeat as usual.”