President warns divisive party elements

Source: President warns divisive party elements | The Herald

President Mnangagwa addressing the Politburo

Joseph Madzimure Senior Reporter

THE Zanu PF Youth conference set to be held in the first week of May this year must help to consolidate intra party unity and democracy, while also serving as a building block to party rejuvenation, modernisation and growth, President Mnangagwa has said.

The last elective conference was held in 2014.

In the Youth League, positions to be contested are for deputy secretary and other posts, and all contestants should be 35-years-old and below.

Party First Secretary, President Mnangagwa will appoint the Youth League secretary.

The Women’s League will also hold its conference in June, while the main congress will be held in October this year to elect leadership as the party intensifies its preparations ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections.  

Speaking at the 361st Politburo session, President Mnangagwa said actions bent on sabotaging the party and dividing the membership will not be tolerated.

“As we prepare for our conferences of the leagues and the scheduled party Congress, actions bent on sabotaging the party and dividing the membership will not be tolerated. Leadership in Zanu PF is not entitlement.

“I urge the Youth and Women’s League, together with all other departments of the party involved in the holding of the conferences to be guided by the supremacy of the party constitution, principles and values,” he said.

President Mnangagwa also challenged the party to entrench the culture of entrepreneurship, innovation, economic empowerment and wealth creation, among party  members. 

“Going forward, we must do much more to be a modern, science, technology and innovation driven party and society as a whole.

“The participation of our people in productive and profitable economic enterprises is key. 

“Our mantra and quest for the people of Zimbabwe to be masters of their destiny, must translate into their greater involvement in value addition and beneficiation of our raw materials, growing of our own food; the manufacturing of our own clothes; construction of our roads, dams, schools and clinics. 

“Our people must be organised to deliver economic development,” he said. 

The Government, President Mnangagwa added, has instituted a drought and food deficit mitigation plan to cater for vulnerable households and communities, following the dry spell that affected the 2021-2022 agriculture season.

The Second Republic has also removed the requirements for fees and cumbersome information in the ongoing mobile national registration exercise to allow easy access of birth certificates and national identity  cards.

“Our people have the right to national documents and the leadership of the party must facilitate,” he said.

Today Zanu PF will be holding its first Central Committee meeting this year.