via President expected to name deputies today | The Herald 10 December 2014 by Zvamaida Murwira
PRESIDENT Mugabe convenes an extra-ordinary session of the Zanu-PF Central Committee at the party headquarters today where he is expected to appoint his two deputies, the national chairman and 20 heads of department of the Politburo plus at least five committee members and 21 deputies.
The Politburo has 21 heads of department, one of whom is the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe whose election to the post of Secretary for Women’s Affairs was confirmed at the party’s just-ended 6th National Peoples Congress.
The new look, streamlined Politburo will have at least 25 members down from the previous 67 as the 21 deputies will not sit in the Politburo.
The amended Zanu-PF constitution allows the President to appoint this exact number, less than that number or create more portfolios.
The provision empowering the President to appoint his two deputies plus the national chairman was mooted to kill factionalism by ensuring that the party has only one centre of power.
Having deputies and others in the Women’s League directly elected had become a breeding ground for the factionalism, individualism and competing or multiple centres of power that afflicted Zanu-PF in the run-up to Congress.
The appointment of the deputies and national chairman is also consistent with Article 4 of the 1987 Unity Accord that brought together Zanu-PF and PF Zapu into the united Zanu-PF.
An official in the party’s legal department, who spoke on condition of anonymity as she is not authorised to speak to the media, said contrary to reports in some sections of the media that no members of the Politburo are elected, everyone is actually elected as they are all drawn from Central Committee members who are elected in their districts within their provinces just like legislators.
“The one national organ is the Central Committee and members of the Central Committee are elected in their provinces within their districts just like Members of Parliament are elected in their constituencies, with the exception of the 10 Central Committee members out of 300 who are appointed as a balancing mechanism.
“It is a system we have had in the country and it is still there in which some members are appointed non-constituency MPs.”
COMMENTS
Does Mugabe own Zanu PF? Are all these leaders his children? If not all the so called leaders in Zanu PF are spineless, greed, selfish and unprincipled cowards and this include Mujuru’s group. Where on earth has it ever happened or will ever happen where a political party elects a 91 year old, sickly, mentally unstable and frail old man to be its presidential candidate for elections to be held in 3 years time? This is demoniac, its not a political problem but a spiritual one! A 91 year old man what can he do for the future he is not going to be part of? This is not GOD’s will, really the devil has blooded Zimbabweans not to see truth. This is not peace loving its an FEAR. Wake up!
You are very right. There are no leaders to talk about in Zanu PF. The party is composed of ordained cowards. Anyone with a working mind can notice the cowardice and greed affecting these so-called leaders. Boot-licking for personal gains. I can’t believe this nonsense.