All set for Extraordinary Congress

ALL is set for the Zanu-PF Extraordinary Congress to be officially opened by the party’s First Secretary and President Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa in Harare today.

Delegates to the assembly, including foreigners, arrived in Harare yesterday for the one-day event.

Officials were also finalising the accreditation of some party members and other delegates.

The event will be held at Robert Mugabe Square.

Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Simon Khaya Moyo said: “It is all systems go as most of our delegates have arrived in Harare for the mega event.

“Those from outside we invited have also arrived. Logistically everything is in place. We are 100 percent complete with the preparations. The event begins in the morning with President and First Secretary Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa officially opening the Congress. From there we go into deliberations and after that the President will close the event. We have done away with thematic committees and deliberations will centre on specific issues. Nothing outside the agenda will be discussed and the President has emphasised over and again that this is a non-elective Congress.”

About 7 874 people are expected to attend the Congress with 5 295 being delegates.

The delegates have been drawn from the Central Committee, National Consultative Assembly, National Council of the Women’s League, National Council of the Youth League, Provincial Executive Councils and the Main, Women and Youth wings.

As per tradition, Zanu-PF held a Politburo meeting on Wednesday followed by a Central Committee meeting yesterday as precursors to the Congress.

The Congress will run under the theme “Consolidating the Gains of Zim-Asset through Unity, Peace and Development’’.

The main business for the Congress will be to endorse changes that came up as a result of Operation Restore Legacy that helped stop ruinous divisions in the revolutionary party.

The Extraordinary Congress will have three items on the agenda;

● Confirming Cde Mnangagwa as the First Secretary and President of the party.

● Endorsing him as the Zanu-PF Presidential candidate for the 2018 harmonised elections;

● Endorsing Central Committee resolutions made on November 19.

The resolutions include the recalling of former First Secretary and President Cde Robert Mugabe and confirmation of the expulsion of G40 cabal members who include ex-First Lady Grace Mugabe, Phelekezela Mphoko, Jonathan Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere, Kudzanayi Chipanga, Mandi Chimene and Ignatius Chombo.

The Central Committee meeting also resolved to improve the standing of war veterans and to reinstate District Coordinating Committees which had been abolished.