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President Mugabe addresses the Politburo at zanu-pf Headquarters in Harare yesterday while flanked by First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe and Vice Presidents Cdes Emmerson Mnangagwa (left) and Phelekezela Mphoko

Felex Share Senior Reporter—
The Zanu-PF Politburo yesterday said the 15th Annual National People’s Conference, which began yesterday, will be about finding strategies to improve the livelihoods of people and fulfil the promises made to the electorate during the 2013 harmonised elections.

The Politburo, which met in Harare, declared that no politics would take centre stage at the conference as only President Mugabe, who is the Zanu-PF First Secretary had the right to appoint members into leadership positions.

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The conference, which is being held in Victoria Falls, will be opened and closed on Friday and Saturday, respectively, by President Mugabe. Addressing journalists after the Politburo meeting, Zanu-PF secretary for Information and Publicity Cde Simon Khaya Moyo said the focus of the conference would be in line with the theme: “Consolidating People’s Power through Zim-Asset.”

“We shall be assessing and exchanging views on how best we can implement the Zim-Asset clusters so that we really concentrate on improving the quality of lives of our people,” he said. “Zim-Asset shall be our cornerstone at the conference and it is important that delegates come with an appreciation of what Zim-Asset is all about.

“It’s our key economic blueprint arising from our manifesto in the last election and we are hopeful that everybody by the end of the conference would be very clear about its implementation.”

He added: “I want to emphasise that this is not an elective conference. It is only the congress which is elective. We must not be spreading rumours about a lot of things. The President is the only one, after the amendment of the constitution last December, who is elected and we did elect him.

“All of us are appointees and he appoints at his pleasure. We must not mix a lot of things and I appeal to the media to report on facts and avoid creating sensationalism and a lot of other ‘isms’ which do not help build the country.”

Cde Khaya Moyo said delegates to the conference would start leaving for Victoria Falls on Thursday after the Central Committee meeting in Harare tomorrow. He said the revolutionary party’s commissariat department was verifying the number of expected delegates to grace the event but indications were that plus or minus 4490 delegates would be present.

“The secretary for Administration Cde (Ignatius) Chombo gave a detailed report on the preparations for the National People’s Conference encompassing all sub-committees as regards the state of preparedness,” he said.

“It’s really all systems go after the report. The chairpersons of the subcommittees gave more details on their preparations which have been communicated to all provinces. Only accredited delegates will be welcomed to the conference. All provinces have been so advised and we shall be very strict on this one.”

Cde Khaya Moyo said the national commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere presented to the Politburo a comprehensive report on the party’s successful restructuring exercise countrywide. “Inter-district conferences have been held in all provinces, coming up with their resolutions which will be presented to the conference,” he said.

“We only have one outstanding by-election to be held on the 19th of December in Nkulumane, Bulawayo. Cde Kasukuwere also gave a report on the visits by the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe to Maphisa, Matabeleland South and Gutu, Masvingo. The meetings were a tremendous success and she got a standing ovation at all these rallies.”

He said it was reported that Dr Mugabe had taken the opportunity to explain to the masses what Zim-Asset meant and how it was being implemented.  “Her gesture was greatly appreciated as she also distributed a lot of goodies to thousands of people who attended the rallies,” Cde Khaya Moyo said.

He said Zanu-PF secretary for External Affairs Cde Simbarashe Mumbengegwi gave a detailed report on the State visit to Zimbabwe by the Chinese President Xi Jinping, which saw 12 landmark deals worth about $4 billion being signed. The deals are expected to transform the provisions of Zim-Asset into programmes of action.

Said Cde Khaya Moyo: “The visit was indeed historic and the two leaders that is Presidents Mugabe and Xi demonstrated to the world their friendship and that of their two countries. It was indeed a memorable visit. The two were to meet again in South Africa for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). President Mugabe spoke in his capacity as chairperson of African Union and as President of Zimbabwe and on request, he also spoke on behalf of the chairman of Sadc, President (Ian) Khama of Botswana, who was unable to attend.”

He said Dr David Parirenyatwa gave a brief on the 18th International Conference on Aids and STIs in Africa (ICASA), which ended in Harare last Friday.