Zimpapers Logo

Ruling party has its work cut out

THE Zanu-PF 16th Annual National People’s Conference kicked off in earnest yesterday with a Politburo meeting, while today the Central Committee meets. Thereafter all roads lead to the ancient city of Masvingo, hosts of this year’s indaba. We need not overemphasise the importance of the conference.Zanu-PF is the party of Government and what comes out of such meetings determines the course and fate of the country, which is the reason why all eyes will be on the ruling party this week.

The theme for this year is, “Moving with Zim-Asset in peace and unity”, which, if we are to try and unpack, is cogent and also presents a challenge to the ruling party.

Zim-Asset, as the chief policy guiding Government since the last election, speaks to the socio-economic affairs of the country with the purpose to transform livelihoods of Zimbabweans on the back of the judicious exploitation of their God-given resources.

Over the past couple of years, Government has strived to implement the policy with a degree of success owing to various factors, internal and external.

It will be recalled that last year Government enunciated the 10-Point Plan for economic recovery which, it was hoped, would position the country for a major economic take-off in keeping with Zim-Asset. The 10-Point Plan was meant to simplify Zim-Asset and see massive capital injection and rapid implementation. It was meant to spur economic growth and create employment.

The plan would also focus on infrastructure development, particularly in key energy, water, transport and ICT sectors, unlocking the potential of small to medium enterprises, encouraging private sector investment and restoration and building confidence and stability in the financial services sector, among other imperatives.

The 10-Point Plan was enunciated in August.

Tellingly, at the end of that year, in December, the ruling party held its 15th Annual National People’s Conference in Victoria Falls under the theme, “Accelerated implementation of Zim-Asset”.

If that were to be followed to the letter, this year should have seen a massive turnaround of the country’s fortunes in line with the lofty ideals contained in both the Zim-Asset policy and the 10-Point Plan.

However, and this has to be stated in lucid terms, the country has not experienced the intended take-off and evidence on the ground does not point to any acceleration in the implementation of Zim-Asset, although the country has remained afloat and, in these last months of the year, showing recovery and portending a great 2017.

This should be a challenge to the ruling party as it converges in Masvingo. Is the party not just paying lip service to Zim-Asset? What is the party doing on the ground to meet the requirements of Zim-Asset and in essence serve the people of Zimbabwe?

Next year will be crucial in more respects than one.

The year will be the homestretch towards the elections in 2018 and the ruling party will surely stand judgment, depending on how it performs in the year.

Things must move, and be seen to move. The ruling party owes it to the people that gave it an overwhelming mandate in 2013. Masvingo, thus, becomes important as the ruling party sets the tone for the following year, which we dare say is a make or break year.

This takes us to the one important aspect of this year’s theme, namely, peace and unity in the ruling party. It is not a secret that there has been a lot of friction within the ruling party and this has been seen to worsen this year with factionalists openly trading leather in a shamelessly naked manner all to the enthralment of the world.

It has been correctly felt that the biggest casualty of these internecine fights have been the economy as energy was expended in fights that have nothing to do with the populace.

As such, and with the crucial 2017 beckoning, the ruling party must effectively banish the unhelpful factionalism and present a united team that is ready to serve the people in 2017 and beyond. We have faith that if the party channels its energies for the right things and make the right priorities, Zimbabwe can be transformed expe- expeditiously.

Unless and until there is that refocus, the country will not move forward and reference to such lofty ideals as contained in Zim-Asset ring hollow. This is a challenge to the ruling party as all eyes will be on it this week.