Zanu-PF endorses conference venue
THE Zanu-PF politburo has endorsed Masvingo Showgrounds as the venue for the forthcoming 16th Zanu-PF National Annual People’s Conference that will be held in December this year.
The ruling party provincial executive in Masvingo had proposed Masvingo Showgrounds and Great Zimbabwe Monuments as two possible venues to host the ruling party’s indaba.
However, after problems associated with transportation of delegates to the 21st February Movement celebrations that were held at Great Zimbabwe monuments in February this year, together with a shortage of space at the world heritage site, the party settled for Masvingo Showgrounds along the Masvingo-Harare Highway.
Dates and the theme for this year’s conference have not yet been announced by the Zanu-PF politburo.
Zanu-PF Masvingo acting provincial chairman Cde Amasa Nhenjana yesterday confirmed that the Politburo had chosen the showgrounds as the venue of the indaba. ‘’We were supposed to have a delegation from the Zanu-PF leadership comprising secretary for administration Dr Ignatius Chombo, national commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere and secretary for finance Cde Obert Mpofu in Masvingo today (yesterday) which was coming to among other things finalise on the issue of the venue of the forthcoming conference, but the delegation is no longer coming because the question of the venue has been agreed upon,’’ he said.
“The Politburo has notified us that our 16th Annual National People’s Conference will be held at the Masvingo Showgrounds in the city and this was the recommendation that had also been made by our senior Zanu-PF leaders in the province led by Politburo member Cde Josaya Hungwe,’’ he added.
Cde Nhenjana dismissed reports in some sections of the media that the choice of the conference venue had divided the ruling party in Masvingo, saying the province was pulling in one direction.
He expressed satisfaction with progress in preparing for the conference adding that the 10 sub-committees that were set up to drive the programme had already hit the ground running.
The finance sub-committee led by provincial secretary for finance Cde Killer Zivhu this week announced that Masvingo had set a target to raise $50 000 and about 50 head of cattle for the conference.
Cde Zivhu said his committee was going to approach big firms and other well-wishers in the province for donations — financially and materially — to finance the conference.
Masvingo last hosted the Zanu-PF Annual National People’s conference in 2003 at Masvingo Teachers’ College. Over 5 000 delegates from all corners of Zimbabwe and beyond are expected to grace the conference which comes after the province successfully hosted 21st February movement to commemorate President Mugabe 92nd birthday.
A record over 50 000 people packed the Great Zimbabwe monuments for President Mugabe’s birthday celebrations on February 27.