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George Maponga in Masvingo
The Zanu-PF national leadership has agreed on the number of delegates who will attend the forthcoming 17th Annual National People’s Conference, with 5 303 party members billed to attend the indaba that will be held in Esigodini, Matebelaland South.

The ruling party’s national political commissar Cde Engelbert Rugeje yesterday said the number of delegates has been trimmed to make sure the event runs smoothly, devoid of logistical challenges such as shortage of food and transport.

Accreditation of conference delegates has already been completed across most provinces countrywide, and previously the indabas were dogged by challenges such as shortage of food, accommodation and transport.

Speaking during the Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial inter-district conference, Cde Rugeje said the ruling party’s Politburo had agreed on the number of delegates at this year’s conference.

“The Politburo has agreed on the number of delegates who will attend this year’s conference in Esigodini and the figure is 5 303. The figure will remain like that, but it excludes additional people like those responsible for security, health etc,” said Cde Rugeje.

“We are very sorry that the number has been reduced compared to previous years, but it is something that was agreed on by the Politburo and we took into account previous problems like shortage of accommodation, food, transport and other challenges.”

The conference will run from December 11 to 15 at Mzingwane High School, and in Masvingo, 500 delegates were accredited for the indaba. Cde Rugeje also revealed that the ruling party under the new dispensation will not allow a party cadre to assume a leadership position in the revolutionary party without having undergone training and re-orientation at the Hebert Chitepo School of Ideology.

He said some newly elected ruling party National Assembly members, councillors and provincial councillors drawn from different parts of the country were currently undergoing training at the school of ideology to imbue their thinking with revolutionary teachings.

“From now onwards, we are saying if a person did not go through the Chitepo School of Ideology, there is no position for such a person in the party under the new dispensation because some were even coming from overseas and then use money to get into positions of leadership,” said Cde Rugeje.

He also warned Zanu-PF leaders countrywide against embarking on unsanctioned restructuring of lower-tier party structures, saying the exercise will only take place next year.

“After our elections this year, there are some leaders who started building lower structures of the party. Stop it. We will come down and do it next year under a proper programme,” he said.

Cde Rugeje urged party members to respect those in leadership positions in the party, saying they deserved respect since they were appointees of President Mnangagwa.