Congress marks dawn of new era
• Zanu-PF to be about politics, economics • Servant leadership to replace chef syndrome
ZANU-PF’S Extraordinary Congress, to be held today, marks the beginning of a new era that should see party cadres dumping toxic politics and concentrating on bread and butter issues, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.
President Mnangagwa, who is the Zanu-PF First Secretary, said the congress must “repair” the party and correct ills perpetrated by the G40 cabal in its pursuit of subverting the revolution from within. Every party cadre, he said, should “now think, sleep, dream and walk productivity”. Zanu-PF, Cde Mnangagwa said, should be about politics and economics. Addressing the 107th Central Committee meeting in Harare ahead of today’s congress, President Mnangagwa said the assembly should make far-reaching decisions to change people’s lives.
“The Extraordinary Congress equally marks a shift in paradigm of the party as we, more than ever before, concern ourselves with bread and butter issues that affect the people we lead,” he said.
“The party at all levels must give due attention to the development and economic issues within their wards, districts and provinces. Leaders must be truly servants of the people moved by matters that affect the people. The Extraordinary Congress will fundamentally be, by no means a form of celebration, but it marks the beginning of hard honest work that is ensuing, of rebuilding all organs of our party from cell upwards. These must now be repaired not just for a thunderous showing in the forthcoming harmonised elections but as part of our broader return to full vibrancy.”
President Mnangagwa said the Central Committee, being the highest decision making body in between Congresses, should be at the centre of the dynamic new era.
“We will not be able to accomplish much
for as long as our sense of party work remains hidebound in the old template of looking at ZANU-PF as about politics, politics and politics only,” he said.
“No more! It’s politics and economics! Let us recognise that the best politics emerge from the marketplace where livelihoods are made. Productivity at all levels must be religiously encouraged, not only at a national level, but at a disaggregated ward, district and provincial level. In so doing, let us not lose sight of the need to move purposefully forward, to repair the party and put it on a vibrant keel.”
President Mnangagwa said ZANU-PF and Government ministries should forge “symbiotic relationships” to deliver on promises they make to the people.
He said the G40 cabal had captured the party with no meaningful development in sight.
“It was indeed disheartening as party structures seemed helpless as the cabal pursued its sinister programmes using platforms, structures and the personnel of our party,” he said.
“The majority of us thought the interface rallies were for mobilising ZANU-PF. No! No! It was an agenda. They undermined party rules and procedures while pretending to be upholding and defending them. They undermined the leadership of the party while pretending to love and defend it. Their programme, therefore, was one of subverting the party from within.”
President Mnangagwa said the trying times ZANU-PF went through because of the G40 cabal had tested the revolutionary party’s resilience.
He said the Central Committee must assume full responsibility in re-engineering the party.
“This responsibility must never be abdicated or usurped for expediency,” he said.
“Never again should the Central Committee watch while indiscipline, personalisation and abuse of the party and its structures take root.”
He went on: “As members of the Central Committee, we must realise that our temperament and judgment become the temperament of our party and in turn set the pace and tone of our party. Our thinking becomes the thinking of the party, our actions too become the actions of the party. Conversely, our missteps become the missteps of our party; our acts, whether of commission or omission, become the acts of our party. This is a huge responsibility we all carry.”
President Mnangagwa exhorted party members to shun vengeance and vindictiveness adding that broken relations among cadres should be mended.
Turning to the 2018 harmonised elections, the President said they would go ahead as scheduled and Government would “do all in its powers” to ensure they were free, fair and credible.
“In preparation the party must reinvigorate its structures, organise, mobilise and meticulously ensure that all members are registered to vote,” he said.
President Mnangagwa thanked the Central Committee for having confidence in him to lead ZANU-PF.
“I applaud you for your boldness and courage as you did not shirk your responsibilities or flinch from taking decisions that were needful against the adverse situation that had developed, threatening our party,” he said.