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Herald Reporters

ALL Zanu-PF provinces have endorsed President Mnangagwa as the ruling party’s presidential candidate in 2023 elections in a major show of confidence in his leadership following the advent of the New Dispensation.

The party is also unequivocal in its support of National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1) as the vehicle to engender socio-economic development in line with Vision 2030.

On Saturday, eight provinces endorsed President Mnangagwa at separate provincial coordinating committee meetings while Manicaland and Mashonaland East joined the others yesterday.

In Mutare,the ruling party’s Secretary for External Relations, Cde Simbarashe Mumbengegwi announced the province’s resolution to endorse President Mnangagwa as the rightful candidate for the presidential election saying he exudes selfless and visionary leadership that all party cadres must emulate.

“President Mnangagwa is at the forefront of pushing the nation’s development agenda and we are well on course to achieve our goals. We have gained political independence, yes, and now we are moving forward with economic emancipation. To that effect, the President has shown consistent and persistent commitment to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle income economy through Vision 2030. That is selfless and visionary leadership. He has taken the lead and we all have to follow his example and emulate him,” said Cde Mumbengegwi.

He said the Second Republic’s policies for economic and social transformation were bearing fruit and producing tangible results.

Said Cde Mumbengegwi: “Government is not just paying lip service to the ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’ mantra but is walking that talk and making huge strides with remarkable progress. This has seen the rehabilitation and building of new infrastructure like dams, roads, bridges, irrigation schemes and schools. The National Development Strategy 1 is spurring development and development that success is inevitable because the Second Republic is delivering.”

Cde Mumbengegwi urged party members to continue working hard in unity while serving the country and party with diligence. He said this will ensure that President Mnangagwa secures the targeted five million votes in the 2023 harmonised elections.

“As a party, we now have around 3,6 million registered members within our structures and we have to continue mobilising until we reach the targeted number of five million votes. We also have to ensure that all these are registered to vote so as to guarantee victory for President Mnangagwa and the party. Through perseverance and unity of purpose this is all achievable,” said Cde Mumbengegwi.

He added that a united and focused Zanu PF can secure a resounding win in the elections and win back the urban councils that continue to be run down by the opposition.

Mashonaland East also endorsed President at a meeting held yesterday in Marondera.

Presiding over the meeting, ZANU PF secretary for legal affairs Cde Paul Mangwana thanked Mashonaland East province for the resolution and urged the province to remain united and peaceful.

In Masvingo, the party’s provincial chairman Cde Ezra Chadzamira announced the resolutions. He said the province was solidly behind President Mnangagwa.

Cde Chadzamira announced the resolution to roaring applause from party leaders in attendance.

“Masvingo province endorses President Mnangagwa as the sole candidate for the ruling party in the next elections in 2023,”said Cde Chadzamira.

“The province also fully supports NDS1 as the development vehicle to achieve an upper middle income economy by 2030.”

The Zanu PF Masvingo chairs intimated that the rank and file in the party in the province was more than impressed by President Mnangagwa’s stewardship.

Major infrastructural development projects among them rehabilitation of the Harare-Beitbridge highway and several dam construction projects among others,have earned the President plaudits locally and even intentionally. In his address,Zanu PF secretary for Legal Affairs in the politburo Cde Paul Mangwana implored party members to espouse discipline which he said was the cornerstone of a thriving party. He exhorted cadres to abide by the rules and regulations of the revolutionary party.

Politburo member Cde Kenneth Musashi appealed for unity in Zanu PF in Masvingo for the province to remain a ruling party fortress.

The politburo member said through working in unison will the province amass enough numbers to help President Mnangagwa and the ruling party to win landslidly come 2023 elections.

Mashonaland Central also unanimously endorsed President Mnangagwa as the Presidential candidate for 2023 harmonised elections. The province came up with a number of resolutions for the annual people’s conference scheduled for Bindura from October 25 to 31 this year.

Zanu-PF provincial chairperson Cde Kazembe Kazembe said they also resolved that Mash Central was in need of a provincial hospital.

“Bindura Hospital which is currently used as the main hospital is a district hospital. We are also in need of district hospitals in all the eight districts,” he said.

“There is a need for timeously payment of our farmers by the Grain Marketing Board and Cottco. Pfumvudza/Intwasa inputs must be dispensed on time. Rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure will go a long way in boosting agricultural productivity.

“We also resolved that the working conditions of civil servants need to be reviewed. The assumption of duty for teachers must be home confined, currently there are no teachers in Rushinga, Mbire and Muzarabani.

“The provincial councils are coming to the end of their term without getting into office. We are calling for the speeding up of the alignment of the Constitution

Free health care and funeral cover for war veterans, increase of teachers training college and decentralisation of the Chitepo School of Ideology were among other resolutions.

In Mashonaland West, the ruling party endorsed President Mnangagwa as the party’s sole candidate in the next harmonised election.

During the provincial coordinating committee meeting, national politburo secretary for security, Cde Lovemore Matuke said the Zanu-PF’s 2023 target of five-million votes is achievable considering the cell register shows the party has at least 3,6 million eligible voters.

The meeting also saw the province presenting resolutions deliberated during the Inter-district conference. Cde Matuke said while the figure was pleasing, he said the members still had a task to reach the five-million voter mark.

“The party has reached at least 3, 6 million members through the current cell registration. We still have a lot of work to do so that we reach five-million votes which is our 2023 harmonised election target.

“As such, work on the cell structures is ongoing and a continuous process. Our target is to surpass the five-million targets so that President Mnangagwa and the entire party win resoundingly,” said Cde Matuke.