Zanu-PF begins conference preps . . . as the party scores big

PREPARATIONS for the 17th Zanu-PF Annual National People’s Conference have begun with fund-raising activities for the event set to commence over the next few weeks marked by a breakfast meeting.

The annual event, which is slated for Gwanda, Matabeleland South, is set to attract over 6 500 delegates with deliberations being centred around the economy and general elections expected next year.

Zimbabwe goes to the polls next year and the ruling party indaba in December is expected to set the tone for the plebiscite.

Over 3 200 attendees will be party delegates while the rest will be drawn from affiliate organisations.

Sub-committees responsible for finance, health, transport, agenda, social welfare, information and publicity, have already been set up to conduct various logistical support for the event.

The party indaba is hosted by provinces on a rotational basis with Matabeleland South being this year’s pick after Masvingo last year.

Senior ruling party officials told The Sunday Mail last week that the event will be historic.

Zanu-PF national spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo said: “Preparations for the 17th Annual National People’s Conference are well underway with the national coordinating committee having already met twice to prepare for indaba.

“The conference will be held early December in Gwanda, Matabeleland South province. A TECHNICAL panel set up by ZANU-PF after its last Annual National People’s Conference to ensure that resolutions from the indaba are actioned by Government says it is satisfied with the synchronisation of programmes between the party and the State.

The committee, comprised of ZANU-PF technocrats, quarterly interfaces with Government permanent secretaries to review the implementation of resolutions of the December 16 ZANU-PF Annual National People’s Conference. The conference largely focused on economic revival.

President Mugabe, assisted by his two second secretaries — Cdes Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko — is also actively involved in monitoring progress.

The panel links Cabinet ministers’ work programmes around the four Zim-Asset clusters — Food Security and

“A provincial coordinating committee focusing on the conference is already assiduously working to ensure that the conference will be a success.

“We expect to host 3 260 delegates and a further 3 300 party members from affiliate organisations to bring us to around 6 500 people attending the conference.

“The fund-raising committee has already started fund-raising activities with a breakfast meeting to be held soon. Nutrition; Social Services and Poverty Reduction; Infrastructure and Utilities and Value Addition and Beneficiation — to party resolutions.

Last week, ZANU-PF National Secretary for Administration Dr Ignatius Chombo told The Sunday Mail that the panel was actively involved in facilitating the completion of Tokwe-Mukosi Dam which was recently commissioned by President Mugabe.

Said Dr Chombo: “The party has set up this panel which periodically meets with counterparts from Government.

“This panel consists of party technocrats and directors and it interfaces with permanent secretaries and directors in Government.

“The two teams are then combined and put into clusters which look at specific sectors of Government to monitor and evaluate policy implementation and overall performance of Government.

“Major highlights were the adop-

Secretary for Administration Dr Ignatius Chombo said preparations began two months ago.

“We are two months into the preparations of the 17th National People’s Conference which will be held in Matabeleland South.

“The venue has been identified although I cannot disclose that at the moment.

“Fund-raising and other related activ- tion of Zim-Asset which superintended the completion of the Tokwe-Mukosi Dam, start of the Beitbrigde-Masvingo-Chirundu highway dualisation and the successful Command Agriculture, amongst others.”

Dr Chombo said President Mugabe was actively involved through constant monitoring of how the panel executes its duties.

“Let me hasten to say that His Excellency is the President and First Secretary of ZANU-PF, so he is involved and is very much aware of all the goings-on in the party. He has two Vice Presidents and Second Secretaries as well as 29 other secretaries who are members of the Politburo who assist him in monitoring party and Government activities at various levels.

“The discussions are interactive and feedback is from all participants.

“Ordinarily this panel meets quarterly, but can meet extraordinarily whenever there is need.” ities are already in full swing and the Commissariat Department is also in the process of identifying delegates for the conference.”

The Zanu-PF National People’s Conference is mandated to receive and consider reports of the Central Committee on behalf of Congress.

It also declares the President of the party elected at Congress as the State Presidential candidate for the party.