ED : NO MORE IMPOSITION OF CANDIDATES

Leaders come from the people and the era of imposing candidates is over, President Mnangagwa has said.

He told over 3 500 delegates in Harare yesterday at the launch of the Zanu-PF election campaign and party manifesto that no individual was bigger than the party.

“Leaders must always come from the people,” he said amid wild cheers from the delegates.
“This is a principle, together with fairness, justice, right to freely elect leaders and to stand in any party election must be entrenched into our party’s internal democratic tenets and never deviated from.

“The days of imposition, chicanery and favouritism in our internal electoral processes are dead and buried — never to be resurrected no matter the person’s status and standing. We have always been and will always be obligated to do everything in the interest of the people and rely on their strength and carry out the principle of from-the-people-to-the-people. We must fully respect their wishes, experience, rights and roles,” the President stated.

“We should cherish the power conferred on us by the people and our party membership and exercise it discreetly and welcome their supervision. The voice of the people is the voice of God.”

President Mnangagwa continued: “The party is bigger than its individual members. It is a mass party. The people’s party. Zanu-PF ihomwe, tose tinokwana mupocket yezanu-pf. Asi iwe ukada kutora Zanu-PF uchiiisa muhomwe yako inokupisa ugotsva, uchingotsva, kusvika waibudisa muhomwe mako. I Zanu-PF yisikhwama, sonke siyakwana kuZanu-PF, ayikwani esikhwameni somuntu.
“Let us shun the propensity for bickering, an unfettered sense of entitlement and general indiscipline.”

Commenting directly on the recent primary elections, President Mnangagwa said the revolutionary party would not regress on the process of strengthening its internal democratic systems.

“The last few weeks have seen our party undergo processes to strengthen its internal democratic systems which culminated in the holding of primary elections from April 29 to May 3, 2018, under the newly-created Zanu-PF National Elections Commission.

“As I exhorted in my statement on the conduct of primary elections issued on Monday 30 April 2018, whatever teething problems we have experienced so far, we have noted them closely,” he said.

“We remain convinced that the democratic course we have started in the management of our party affairs is the correct one. We must thus never deviate from the bold decision we took to deepen and strengthen our internal democratic systems. World over, systems once established get strengthened and fine-tuned over time with all the patience.”

President Mnangagwa said the party’s Politburo would meet today to finalise the list of candidates following contestations in some areas.

He said the party had allowed a rerun in a few areas where concerns were raised.

“We widened the playing field and general right of members to choose and be chosen through democratic internal processes. The right to universal suffrage is sacred and is enshrined in the party constitution. It must be seen from the onset as having a genesis in the party.

“Zanu-PF has the responsibility to shape and reshape the national body politic, its practices, democratic behaviour and electoral ethos. As a party, we must never flinch from this responsibility. Indeed, it is our responsibilities together, you and me, shoulder to shoulder as responsible cadres of the people.”

President Mnangagwa said the primary elections were over and all members should now work together to ensure a resounding victory for the revolutionary party.
He said the party manifesto that he launched would guide the next Government in the implementation of its policies.

President Mnangagwa said the party would also ensure the Government continued on a robust re-engagement drive with the international community to create new partnerships that should propel national socio-economic development.

“As outlined in our manifesto, we will continue to improve the investment climate in the country through instituting the requisite macro-economic reforms, expediting the ease of doing business reforms, industry competitiveness, infrastructure development, technology and innovation as well as enhancing public sector accountability and transparency, simplifying business procedures, removing inhibitive and exorbitant fees and levies and increasing efficiency at all levels.”

As a party, President Mnangagwa said, Zanu-PF was committed to improving the lives of the people and increase productivity in the country.

He said production should move from the primary level to value addition through the creation of related industry-chains.

In this regard, President Mnangagwa said Command Agriculture would be broadened and adequately financed to increase support for farmers in cropping, livestock and wildlife.
He said implementation of Special Economic Zones would be accelerated as a way of speeding up industrialisation.

Among other pro-people initiatives, President Mnangagwa said the Zanu-PF Government was alive to challenges facing the people such as decent housing.

“Noting the haphazard, unplanned and often chaotic sprouting of urban developments over recent years, plans are also in place to ensure the alignment of service provision standards in all areas such as water reticulation, electricity, roads, and sanitation among other support infrastructure,” he said.
“Although these may not be achieved overnight, we are more resolved to address all the problems standing in the way of decent housing. Meanwhile, the party has a zero tolerance for land barons and those found on the wrong side of the law will be brought to book without fear or favour.” Herald

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