via Packed week for Zanu-PF | The Herald 1December 2014 by Tendai Mugabe
The much awaited Zanu-PF 6th National People’s Congress begins in Harare tomorrow with surprises expected after several bigwigs accused of plotting against President Mugabe failed to make it into the party’s Central Committee.
President Mugabe appoints Politburo members from those who have been voted into the Central Committee, which is the party’s highest decision-making organ between congresses.
Notable figures that failed to make it into the Central Committee are Vice President Joice Mujuru, who is effectively the party’s outgoing Second Secretary, and Cde Didymus Mutasa, who is the Secretary for Administration.
The two alongside a number of other senior Politburo members who were dumped by the people in their provinces for plotting to assassinate President Mugabe now rely on the President’s benevolence to bounce back.
The congress, which is running under the theme “Accelerated Implementation of Zim-Asset”, starts with a Politburo meeting tomorrow that will review the proposed amendments to the Zanu-PF constitution.
The proposed amendments, which allow the President to appoint his deputies and the party’s national chairman, are expected to be endorsed by the Central Committee on Thursday.
President Mugabe is expected to officially open the congress on Thursday, heralding the beginning of decisive deliberations.
Although the party’s interim spokesperson, Cde Simon Khaya Moyo, could not be reached for comment yesterday, several provincial chairpersons confirmed their readiness for the congress.
The provinces, as per tradition, have come up with resolutions that would be considered by the congress for possible adoption by the party.
Mashonaland Central provincial chair Cde Dickson Mafios, who bounced back over the weekend, said they had come up with several resolutions that included the endorsement of President Mugabe as the party’s candidate ahead of the 2018 elections.
Cde Mafios said the province also supported the resolution made by the Women’s League that First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe be appointed Secretary for Women’s Affairs.
“As a province, we resolved that the President (Mugabe) should be the sole centre of power who should appoint all Politburo members including members of the Presidium,” he said.
“We also resolved that soon after the President has appointed members of the Politburo; he should also dissolve Cabinet and appoint ministers from the pool of Politburo members to avoid conflict of interest.
“We have observed a trend where Cabinet ministers who are not in the Politburo making some attempts to sabotage recommendations made to Government by the party.”
Cde Mafios said Mashonaland Central also recommended that Government should fully support the Grain Marketing Board so that it can pay farmers on time.
Midlands held its provincial inter- district conference in Gweru yesterday.
Although the provincial spokesperson, Cde Cornelius Mupereri, could not be reached for comment, legal affairs secretary Cde John Holder said the province recommended amendments to the national Constitution with a view to dropping some counter-revolutionary clauses that were incorporated by Copac during the tenure of the inclusive Government.
He said such clauses included the issue of running mates, which he said created two centres of power in Government.
“We agreed that the party should create an independent body to supervise and run elections in order to create conditions for free and fair elections.”
Zanu-PF has the requisite two-thirds majority in Parliament to push through constitutional amendmenms.
Cde Holder said they also called for the revival of major companies in the province such as Zim Alloys, Ziscosteel, and Bata among others.
Acting Mashonaland West provincial chairman Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi said they were done with the accreditation of delegates.
He said as a province they had surpassed their fund-raising target of US$150 000.
“We endorsed President Mugabe and the resolution by the Women’s League that Amai Mugabe be appointed the Secretary for the Women’s League,” he said.
In Masvingo acting chair Cde Paradzai Chakona said the province recommended the readmission of Dr Munyaradzi Kereke into the party among other resolutions.
“Dr Kereke won the Bikita West constituency on a Zanu-PF ticket,” he said.
“His suspension was orchestrated by Cde Dzikamai Mavhaire and others who were fanning factionalism in the province.
“Following his (Dr Kereke) suspension it means we are now one seat short out of the 26 that we initially won.”
Cde Chakona said the province also recommended the reintroduction of District Co-ordinating Committees that were abolished presumably for causing divisions in the party.
He said it was also agreed that conservancies in Masvingo province and other big companies such as Tongaat Hulett should be indigenised.
Cde Phenias Chihota, who is the acting chair in Mashonaland East, said they were ready for the congress.
“We are done with the accreditation of delegates and we were accrediting at least three party officials per ward,” he said.
“Those who were suspended are not going to attend the congress until their cases are finalised.”
In Harare, the acting chair Cde Chris Chigumba said accreditation was complete.
He said the provincial co-ordinating committee met yesterday to come up with its resolutions for the congress.
Sources say all systems were ready for the congress in the remaining provinces of Bulawayo, Matabeleland South and North and Manicaland.
At least 12 200 delegates are expected to attend the congress, which runs from December tomorrow until Sunday.
Last week Cde Khaya Moyo said a mop-up accreditation exercise would be done at the party headquarters to take care of the remaining 5 percent of the delegates as and when they come.
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