Harare (New Ziana) –The ruling Zanu PF party has already mobilised resources and materials to mount a robust campaign for the 2023 general elections as it seeks to re-affirm its political dominance in Zimbabwe, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Friday.
In contrast, its opponents remain in sixes and sevens, with for example, the Citizens Coalition for Change still to establish party structures due to sharp differences among its leadership, months after its launch.
In the absence of a worthy challenger and buoyed by its pro-people policies and programmes, President Mnangagwa said Zanu PF would continue ruling Zimbabwe into the foreseeable future.
“Zanu PF will continue to govern this land of our forefathers. Zanu PF is ready. Our systems are oiled. Election materials and resources are in place to mount a roaring campaign for a thunderous victory of our party. The people’s revolution is ongoing and unstoppable. We will continue building a prosperous Zimbabwe and realising transformational achievements for the people of our country, leaving no one and no place behind. Victory is certain,” he said in his opening speech at the 7th Zanu PF National People’s Conference.
“The holding of this Congress puts to shame and exposes political hypocrites and pretenders. We will never invite our former colonisers to come back to rule us. We continue to handle our affairs with maturity as an organised, tried and tested revolutionary party. This Congress, therefore, will have definite outcomes which will place our party in readiness for the 2023 Harmonised General Elections. Under Zanu PF, Zimbabwe is in safe hands.”
President Mnangagwa said since the last congress in 2017, Zanu PF had demonstrated courage to reform and break new ground.
Emboldened by the milestones it has achieved, he said the ruling party should use this year’s congress to take stock, introspect and chart the way forward, including introducing amendments to its constitution which would further strengthen it.
“At this 7th National People’s Congress, we gather for renewal in our service to our party and the nation as a whole. The amendments to the party Constitution which will be tabled at this Congress are reflective of the new socio-economic and political realities.
“These must further enhance efficiency and synergies in the implementation of the Party mandate, resolutions, policies and programmes. This is in line with the democratic principles, constitutionalism and the rule of law that anchor our Party,” he said.
“Collectively as delegates at this Congress, we pronounce our Party’s readiness to yet again win another mandate to govern our beloved mother land, Zimbabwe during the upcoming 2023 elections.”
President Mnangagwa said the period since the 6th National People’s Congress had seen unprecedented national rejuvenation, socio-economic recovery and growth.
He chronicled some of the achievements recorded under the Second Republic, which include dam construction which has resulted in the opening up of massive irrigation schemes across the country, road construction as well as attracting increased foreign direct investment.
Under difficult circumstances brought about by the illegal sanctions that the United States imposed, the government had also managed to handle the Covid-19 pandemic commendably well, while also growing the economy.
As a result of the engagement and re-engagement agenda and also because of the peaceful and stable socio-political environment, the tourism sector, for example, had recorded exponential growth in both infrastructure and growth of visitors from a broader cross section of source markets.
The number of airlines flying into Zimbabwe had also grown from 3 in 2017, to the present 17 airlines.
“We have moved our country from a state of isolation to an active member within the comity of nations and a favourable tourist destination,” said President Mnangagwa.
“We are a party of results, a party of action, production and productivity. We are realising broad based development and the sustainable economic empowerment of our people. As a mass party, our government continues to avail opportunities for all our people to realise a higher quality of life. The policies, programmes and projects of the Zanu PF led government are lifting many out of poverty, into prosperity.
“Slowly but surely, we are finding ourselves as the people of Zimbabwe and gaining confidence in our systems, institutions and policies. Our paradigm is shifting around our rallying national development agenda. Together as one nation and united under one national flag, Zimbabwe is rising. We are a great people and an unstoppable nation.”
In the agriculture sector for example, the number of households receiving support under the Presidential Input Support Scheme, Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme, has doubled to over 3 million.
Additional support, he said, was also being channelled to the Presidential Livestock, Piggery, Goat, Poultry, Fisheries, Tick Grease and Horticulture Programmes, among others.
“The focused and strategic approach to the productive and efficient utilisation of our land has seen us realise national self-sufficiency in wheat production, in just one season. Comprehensive plans are in place to increase output of all our strategic grains. Under Zanu PF we will realise national food security and produce the food that we eat as well as enough through-put for our industries,” he said.
“Since the last Congress, systems in the agriculture sector have been radically transformed. Inputs are now distributed on time, while training and extension support is being availed to more of our people. Mechanisation and modernisation is widespread with tailor-made mechanisation solutions being deployed for small-holder and communal farmers. The on-going wide-spread construction of dams and irrigation development is increasing production and productivity across all provinces, defying the previous agro-regional stereotypes.
“ARDA Estates throughout the country are being resuscitated, modernised and mechanised, while the Agriculture Marketing Authority and the Grain Marketing Board have been re-modelled to make them more responsive. Government is restructuring COTTCO so that it better serves our people.”
Meanwhile, over 3 500 delegates are attending the congress which is running under the theme “Building a prosperous Zimbabwe leaving no one and no place behind.”
New Ziana
