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Harare Bureau

ZANU-PF should win back all urban constituencies in order to restore improved service delivery to the citizenry who have had to endure poor services at the hands of the divided opposition parties, President Mnangagwa has said.

In the ruling party, the President said, there must be no room for petty jealousy and unnecessary squabbling, calling on party structures to be at the forefront of implementing Government policies and programmes.

President Mnangagwa, who is also Zanu-PF First Secretary, said this on Saturday while addressing the revolutionary party’s 122nd Central Committee meeting in Harare.

“I want to congratulate you and all structures of the party for our resounding victories in the various by-elections held since our last meeting. 

“Let’s continue to scale up mobilisation strategies and programmes to win the hearts and minds of the people across the social, economic and political divide,” said President Mnangagwa.

“The party has a duty to win back all the urban constituencies and wards so that all citizens can enjoy improved service delivery and the benefits of our Zanu-PF people-centred policies and programmes. Unity, seamless synergies and collaboration between the party and Government structures remain integral to accelerate our development. 

“Gone are the days of silo mentalities. There is no room for mazvake-mazvake. Our structures must always complement and be at the forefront of implementing the policies and programmes of our Party-led Government.”

As party leadership, said President Mnangagwa, Central Committee members have the collective duty to be guided accordingly, ever towing the party line.

“To do so, we must be unflinching in our adherence to the correct Party line. Our constitution, the values of unity, patriotism, harmony, discipline and hard honest work should be entrenched among the rank and file of the party,” he said.

“I want to reiterate that we received a fresh mandate less than 12 months ago. Our focus must be towards accelerating the national development agenda. As always, we have to continue delivering on our promises. 

“Petty squabbles, jealousies and misplaced sense of entitlement will never be tolerated. We must remain solid and united in support of our Zanu-PF policies and programmes,” he said. “It is critically important that, as the leadership of the Party, we continue to lead from the front. Let us be productive, right from the individual and household level, to our villages/cells, branches, districts and provinces. Our national development philosophy: “Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatigwa nevene vayo/ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi balo”, is not a mere slogan or empty words. It is deep and a strategic philosophical call to action; a call to productivity; and a call to hard work as we build our country towards a prosperous future.”

The President directed party structures to convene meetings to discuss and brainstorm over pertinent economic policies and programmes.

“Going forward, all provincial chairpersons are directed to convene special meetings of our structures, beginning with the Provincial Coordinating Committees, down to the cells, to discuss pertinent economic policies, programmes and projects,” he said. 

“People-centred developmental targets must be set, right from the ward level towards growing our district, provincial and ultimately the national GDP. Economic related departments of the party across all levels should give active support in this regard,” he said.

Turning to climate change-induced drought, President Mnangagwa said the Zanu-PF-led Government was equal to the challenge and no one will starve.

“Our Government is well capable of handling this situation. Zanu-PF successfully prosecuted a protracted 16-year armed liberation struggle; we reclaimed our land and are making it productive against all odds,” he said. “Together in unity, our nation mitigated the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, we will surely manage a drought year. This is the confidence and hope that the party leadership should instil among the membership and people of our great nation at large,” he said.

“We have put in place measures to ensure that enough food is available. The party should play its part in the timely identification of those in need of assistance. Government is scaling up programmes to revitalise, modernise and climate-proof the agriculture sector. “Resources are being availed to accelerate the construction of dams and establishment of irrigation infrastructure across all provinces.”

President Mnangagwa said the Presidential Borehole Drilling Programme will continue in full force and all the 35 000 villages will have at least one borehole and an agro-business unit per village.

“Currently, we are implementing a robust winter cropping programme, which will see more land being put under wheat and winter maize,” said President Mnangagwa.

He said the holding of the country’s 44th independence at Murambinda growth point in Buhera dovetails with the Government’s devolution and decentralisation agenda.

“As we celebrate independence, it is the duty of each and every one of us to safeguard this Independence, sovereignty and freedom. 

“A people who do not know their history are like trees without roots. It is this recognition that has seen our Zanu-PF Government scaling up programmes to memorialise the sacrifices of our gallant sons and daughters, who participated in both the First and Second Chimurenga/Umvukela,” said the President.

He said Zanu PF remains a revolutionary mass party, ideological sound and structurally solid. 

“We continue to unflinchingly focus on policies and programmes that will transform the quality of life of our people. We are a disciplined and patriotic party. This is reflected in the political and socio-economic success milestones we are realising, even under the illegal and unjust sanctions imposed on our country. 

“Since 2018 we are among the top five fastest growing economies in Africa. Our GDP grew from US$16 billion in 2018 to the current US$47 billion, putting us well on course to realise an upper middle-income status by 2030,” he said.