Esigodini spirit must live on
The ruling Zanu-PF party’s Annual National People’s Conference was held in style last week in Esigodini, Matabeleland South.
Contrary to what the party’s detractors would want, Zanu-PF went into the annual gathering with ideological clarity, focus and zeal that should give Government the depth to deal with the country’s problems, especially the national economy and service delivery.
That the conference was held just a year after the change of leadership in the party and only four months after overwhelmingly winning a national election, shows a party that is united. It indeed proved that it is a ruling party with an intention to rule forever.
Normally, the primary elections that preceded the elections would have created a platform for discord and infighting. This time around the party managed to go over the process smoothly.
The focus at the Esigodini conference was amazing. The determination was self-evident and the unity of purpose very clear. Support for the leadership was unwavering. Everything in Esigodini was befitting of a serious ruling party despite the current economic challenges and erratic fuel supplies in most urban centres.
Judging by the level of discourse and the resolutions adopted at the end of the conference, which was officially opened by the party’s President and First Secretary Comrade Mnangagwa, it is clear that the ruling party has managed to regenerate and rejuvinate itself. That should translate into Government operations as well.
While Zanu-PF’s nemesis, the MDC Alliance, has mainly dwelt on kindergarten politicking and is shying away from its own congress amid violence and infighting, Zanu-PF is growing from strength to strength. One can tell from the way the party decided to cut the duration of the conference to only three days but still managed to deliberate on all major issues affecting the people. That is seriousness. It shows the conference was not for showboating but for real business. Like the President warned, there is no time for complacency.
What is left is for the ruling party to pass on the same spirit to Government operations and thinking so that Zimbabweans in their broad totality are able to enjoy the benefits of Government projects and programmes.
It is critical for Government to be whipped into line and work with the same zeal, spirit, depth and efficiency Zanu-PF displayed at its conference. Time is money, so they say, and indeed bureaucracy in Government has cost many people their precious time, eroding their trust in the process.
What was done over five days at previous Zanu-PF conferences was surprisingly done within three days this time around and we expect Government employees to take a cue or ship out.
Gone should be the days when it took years and months for Government departments to deliver on basics like national IDs, passports or responses to media queries. Gone should be the days when people waited in long queues at Government departments to be served. The speed and spirit of Esigodini must live on. Time is money. Efficiency is godly.