The Zanu PF 22nd annual national people’s conference, which ends in Mutare today, is expected to whip its ministers and legislators, including State functionaries, to drop all their programmes and parliamentary duties to work on constitutional change pushing the 2030 agenda, NewsDay Weekender has learnt.
The revelations
came amid tensions ahead of the conference following reports of serious
divisions rocking the ruling party in the run-up of the annual indaba.
Zanu PF
structures are crumbling under the 2030 agenda for President Emmerson Mnangagwa
to stay in office beyond the constitutional two terms.
Mnangagwa has,
however, indicated that, as a constitutionalist, he will step down in 2028 and
let the party and Zimbabwe choose its next president.
Of late, Zanu
PF has been rocked by explosive reports, including Vice-President Constantino
Chiwenga’s dossier presented to the politburo last month and heavily criticised
in a leaked-rebuttal by the party’s newly-appointed secretary for legal affairs
Ziyambi Ziyambi this week.
Chiwenga also
came under attack from the Zanu PF national spokesperson at a Press conference
in Harare a day before the start of the conference in Mutare.
The party’s
presidium, which comprises Mnangagwa, Chiwenga, Vice-President Kembo Mohadi,
Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri (national chairperson) and Jacob Mudenda (secretary
general) made all efforts to present a united front at the high table.
The party
leaders insisted on unity, respect of the party constitution, avoided the
ED2030 slogan and in a powerful show of solidarity, held hands during the
opening prayer.
But the power
politics behind the 2030 term extension played out openly, with multiple
sources saying while a chance for a constitutional referendum was impossible,
the party was focusing on Parliament.
“We have
Resolution 1 from the Bulawayo conference and all the provinces have agreed
that the only solution is going the parliamentarian way,” one of them said.
“And as we will
complete this conference tomorrow, you will definitely see a declaration from
the people that we are going to extend the presidential term beyond 2028.”
Another source
told NewsDay Weekender that Zanu PF would whip any party cadre working in the
structures in governance to push for a constitutional amendment to push for
that.
“The structures
are saying let us go for a constitutional change and go beyond 2028 so we are
expecting results,” the source said.
“Those who fail
us as a party should know that their fate with the party is sealed.”
The provinces
were also trying to outdo each other with new slogans for the 2030 agenda in
songs and slogans, with delegates from Midlands, Masvingo and Mashonaland West
the loudest.
Political
leaders from Mashonaland West, Mutsvangwa and Ziyambi have seemingly taken the
forefront in pushing the 2030 agenda, ostensibly crafted in the Midlands and
Masvingo provinces.
Meanwhile,
addressing delegates, Mnangagwa reiterated that Zanu PF was not private
property, adding that the party upheld its constitution.
“All structures
are directed to expose and reject perpetrators of tribalism and regionalism,
among other narratives that divide the party,” he said.
“Corruption,
corruption, corruption, of any kind, has no place among the rank and file of
the party membership and, indeed, in our country. It is cancerous to the
ongoing national development agenda.
“Excesses,
wanton acts of commission and omission for corrupt ends, risk alienating the
party from the masses and must be expunged from our body politik. Discipline
and integrity of all Zanu PF members should be above question.”
Mnangagwa also
castigated the party’s detractors, accusing “opportunists” of tarnishing
Zimbabwe’s name.
“Our country is
not for sale. Spreading false information, denigrating one’s country, the
leadership and people can never be good for our national pride, image and
dignity,” he said.
“Let it be
clear that those opportunists who tarnish our country for short-sighted,
ulterior political motives will never succeed.” Newsday
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