Bulawayo Bureau
ZANU-PF has embarked on a vigorous national campaign to ensure development in all provinces ahead of its national conference and elections.

Addressing party members at Davies Hall here yesterday, the party’s national political commissar Cde Webster Shamu said a development committee would be set up to look into issues affecting residents.
“The committee will work closely with the acting provincial chairperson Cde Killian Sibanda and Bulawayo’s Governor and Resident Minister Cain Mathema to ensure that Bulawayo people, who are hungry for development, get it,” said Cde Shamu.

He said Zanu-PF had analysed 2008 election results and resolved that the party should be more prepared for the next elections.

“The results should reflect what political parties are doing on the ground. Now that people have seen the corruption, under development and lack of relationship between them and those they voted for, they are likely to vote more wisely.

“The message to Bulawayo should therefore be taken to them more vigorously in a structured manner so that they make the right decision to vote for Zanu-PF,” he said.

Cde Shamu said Bulawayo residents had realised through experience that there is nothing any other party had to offer better than Zanu-PF as they could now separate propaganda from the truth.
He urged party cadres to adhere to the Zanu-PF charter that had a zero tolerance on xenophobia, tribalism, nepotism, racism, regionalism and all other-isms that undermined the equality of Zimbabweans.

Cde Shamu said the programme would be carried out in all provinces.
This, he said, would ensure that grassroots programmes were brought to their logical conclusions so that they translated to votes in the forthcoming referendum.

“We are not restructuring, but we are scrutinising our structures to ensure that they are properly constituted before we go to our national conference in Gweru this year,” said Cde Shamu. 
He said the Politburo met in Harare last week and agreed that an exercise to check the implementation of resolutions adopted at the last conference held in

Bulawayo in December last year should be undertaken countrywide.
“We need to make progress by starting on new issues after dispensing of the old ones at this year’s conference,” he said.

Cde Shamu said a copy of a translation of what the Politburo said had been left out in the Copac draft issued to members at the Harare meeting, so that it could be discussed by party members nationwide.

Addressing the same meeting, Zanu-PF national secretary for land reform and resettlement Cde Ignatius Chombo said Bulawayo was not benefiting from national programmes because of political squabbles between the two MDC formations.
“Government made available US$40 million for the Distressed and Marginalised Firms to resuscitate industry in the city.

“Up to today, the money is still stuck in the hands of Welshman Ncube while Tendai Biti of the other MDC is also not doing enough to ensure funds reach intended beneficiaries.

“The two parties are not working together.”
Cde Chombo said Bulawayo had the largest land suitable for peri-urban farming, which the newly set up development committee would ensure was utilised by those interested in farming.

“Our duty is to ensure that people in urban areas get housing stands in cities or towns they reside in.
“The development committee is coming in to ensure people of Bulawayo reap the benefits of resources in the province,” he said.