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Zanu PF First Secretary and President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa addresses delegates at the revolutionary party’s extraordinary congress in Harare yesterday.-(Picture by Tawanda Mudimu)

Felex Share Senior Reporter—
Zanu-PF’s Extraordinary Congress yesterday endorsed Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa as the revolutionary party’s President and First Secretary and party Presidential candidate in next year’s harmonised elections. Ratifying resolutions of a Special Central Committee meeting held on November 19, the Extraordinary Congress also upheld the recalling of former President and First Secretary Cde Robert Mugabe and expulsion of 26 members of the G40 cabal.

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The cabal was fronted by former First Lady Grace Mugabe supported by Messrs Phelekezela Mphoko, Jonathan Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere, Ignatius Chombo and Patrick Zhuwao. Other resolutions ratified included the reinstatement of District Coordinating Committees and the revival of the national chairmanship post in the revolutionary party.

Subsequently, Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri was appointed the Zanu-PF chairperson. Zanu-PF affiliates, namely the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA), Zimbabwe Liberation War Collaborators’ Association (Ziliwaco) and Zimbabwe Ex-Political Prisoners, Detainees and Restrictees Association (ZIPEDRA) also endorsed the resolutions.

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Traditional leaders and churches also pledged to support President Mnangagwa as the Zanu-PF 2018 presidential candidate. Other members of the G40 cabal expelled by the Extraordinary Congress were Phelekezela Mphoko, Innocent Hamandishe, Kudzanai Chipanga, Letina Undenge, Samuel Undenge, Walter Mzembi, Makhosini Hlongwane, Mandi Chimene, Dickson Mafios, Wonder Mashange, Xavier Kazizi, Tongai Kasukuwere, Mpehlabayo Malinga, Tapiwa Matangaidze, Anastancia Ndlovu, Jappy Jaboon and Paul Chimedza.

Cde Patrick Chinamasa, who was the Zanu-PF secretary for Legal Affairs before being moved to secretary for Finance at the Extraordinary Congress, presented the resolutions of the Special Central Committee for adoption. Before presenting the resolutions, he outlined all the processes and events which triggered the Special Central Committee meeting.

These included the Presidential Interface Rallies held by Cde Mugabe, the intervention by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and the provincial coordinating committee convened countrywide to come up with the resolutions. “November 19 was a historic day,” Cde Chinamasa said. “It was historic because on that day a special session of the Central Committee met and took historic decisions which will reverberate down the line in the history of our party and country.

“The interface rallies contributed to the meeting of November 19. These rallies were held ostensibly to provide the youths with a platform to air their concerns and mobilise youths for them to register as voters ahead of general elections next year.”

He added: “Nothing of that sort happened. In fact, they became a platform to sow seeds of divisions, promote factionalism and tribalism, denigrate and vilify party leadership and move the party from its liberation roots. During the Sunday churches’ interface rally. it was clear the former First Lady had usurped presidential powers to fire at will the leadership of Government.”

Cde Chinamasa said 250 out 300 Central Committee members attended the special session. A quorum of 151 members was needed to pass the resolutions. All the 10 Zanu-PF provincial chairpersons read out the resolutions which they had forwarded to the Special Central Committee meeting for adoption by the Extraordinary Congress. Each one of them gave an account of when their provincial coordinating committees had met and what was agreed on.

Politburo member Cde Jacob Mudenda then moved a motion for the adoption of the resolutions. He was seconded by Central Committee member and Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister Cde Monica Mutsvangwa. With no objections to the resolutions, Cde Chinamasa requested all delegates to show they supported the resolutions.

The delegates erupted in song and dance as a sign they unanimously agreed with the position. The Extraordianry Congress also adopted another resolution with respect to the political situation in Palestine and Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic. The assembly said it upheld the stance taken by Sadc, African Union and United Nations on the political situations in those countries.