Joseph Madzimure-Senior Reporter
ZANU PF must lead in recasting approaches to national development informed by emerging global trends through innovation and thinking outside the box, President Mnangagwa has said.
Addressing the 120th Ordinary Session of the Central Committee, which is a precursor to the party’s 20th Annual National People’s Conference that will be officially opened tomorrow in Gweru, President Mnangagwa said the party must move in sync with the aspirations of a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society.
He said through initiatives like devolution and decentralisation, that are being implemented by the ruling party — Zimbabwe’s path to prosperity is clear as the Second Republic has adopted modernisation and industrialisation that leaves no one and no place behind.
To achieve this, the President urged the Central Committee, the highest decision making body in between Congress, to guard jealously the peace and tranquillity that the country currently enjoys.
“During this Conference, it is urgent and important for us to sharpen strategies to modernise our administrative and mobilisation systems. Essentially, we must recast our approaches informed by emerging national development dynamics and global trends through innovation and ‘thinking outside the box’. Society is fast changing, urbanising and becoming more ICT driven.
“The party must move in sync with the aspiration we are working towards; that of a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society. In doing so, let us be solution-driven in the manner we resolve both major and minor challenges across all sectors in our communities.
“As we chair and participate in the respective thematic Committees of Conference, we must appropriately guide discussions. Similarly, resolutions must be reflective of a modernising party and a nation on an upward growth trajectory, with a fast-industrialising economy,” said President Mnangagwa.
The 20th Zanu PF Annual National People’s Conference will focus on reviewing progress made by the ruling party in the implementation of policies and programmes for the consistent socio-economic growth of Zimbabwe.
The conference will be held in Gweru under the theme, “Towards Vision 2030 through Devolution, Industrialisation and Modernisation”, which gives impetus to the party to recalibrate its strategies and policies for the speedy attainment of Vision 2030.
“The theme of this year’s Conference compels us to continue exercising our duties and responsibilities in a manner that gives impetus to the accelerated attainment of Vision 2030. We, thus, have a duty to consolidate the socio-economic and political successes which our party has achieved since the advent of the Second Republic,” President Mnangagwa said.
Additionally, he said, it is fortunate that the National People’s Conference coincides with the mid-term review period in the implementation of the National Development Strategy.
“We must maintain the momentum in ensuring that we meet the set targets in line with local and global development patterns,” said President Mnangagwa.
He urged Central Committee members to foster vigilance, discipline, co-operation, collaboration and hard honest work across the party structures to improve the livelihoods of the people.
“This is the bedrock upon which the party should build and improve the quality of life of our people. After all, we are a party by the people and for the people,” the President said.
The party constitution (2023), as amended, in Article 7 Section 39, Sub-section (3) obligates the Central Committee to give direction, supervise and superintend all the functions of Central Government in relation to the programmes as enunciated by Congress.
In this vein, the President said the Central Committee must carry on providing the requisite guidance and leadership to strengthen internal party systems.
The Central Committee, as the highest decision-making body in-between Congress, has the weighty responsibility of guiding the overall realisation of party’s policies and programmes, as well as National Vision 2030.
“Under Zanu PF, we shall forever remain independent and masters of our own destiny. We reject any form of oppression and subjugation under whatever guise,” the President said.
As Zimbabwe joined the global family in denouncing the illegally imposed Western sanctions on the country, President Mnangagwa commended SADC member states for standing resolute in their condemnation of the illegal economic measures.
“Let us insulate our country against the effects of the illegal sanctions imposed on us by some Western countries.
“Earlier today, (yesterday) our country held an Anti-Sanctions march calling for the immediate and unconditional removal of the illegal sanctions. We are grateful to our brothers and sisters in SADC who are observing the Anti-Sanctions Day, in line with the decision of the 39th SADC Summit held in 2019 in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania,” he said.
The President urged party members to be emboldened by revolutionary values and principles bequeathed by the country’s forebears during the struggle for independence.
“It is through unity, peace, love and harmony that we shall achieve prosperity and sustainable development for the people of our motherland, Zimbabwe. This is the spirit that must guide our 20th National People’s Conference,” he said.
At least 3 000 delegates are expected to attend the conference, which will be officially opened by President Mnangagwa tomorrow.