Zimpapers Logo

Fungi Kwaramba Political Editor

MACHINATIONS by the country’s detractors to cause unnecessary pain to the populace and damage Zimbabwe’s reputation must be continuously exposed especially as the country heads towards the 2023 harmonised elections, a period when disparagers usually up the anti-Zimbabwe ante, President Mnangagwa has said.

This comes as the country has been facing economic sabotage from some conglomerates that have apparently gone into bed with opposition elements to punish ordinary civilians through unjustifiable price increases to foment chaos and force a change of government.

It also comes as some Western countries have also upped the anti-Zimbabwean campaign as they try to influence the outcome of next year’s elections which respected pollsters such as Afrobarometer have predicted will be won resoundingly by President Mnangagwa, notwithstanding the weight of illegal economic sanctions they imposed.

In his address to the Politburo in Harare yesterday, President Mnangagwa, who is also Zanu PF’s First Secretary, said the party’s structures must sharpen the mobilisation strategies that were employed in the March by-elections where the revolutionary party emerged victorious.

Every party member, the President said, has the added responsibility of exposing the lies of the opposition forces that are in the habit of faking abductions, committing violent acts, and whining for so-called reforms with no substance.

“As party leaders, let us be alive to the crafty machinations of our detractors and never fall into their devious traps.

“The asymmetrical warfare strategies of the detractors must be exposed. As we approach the election season, the usual script by the opposition and their handlers is now at play. This is characterised by fake abductions, acts of violence, claims of an uneven election playing field, and the so-called reforms with no substance.

“The party and nation are now acquainted with their blatant lies and hoodwinking shenanigans. All the same, our communication departments within both the party and Government at all levels, should never fall asleep but set the agenda towards national development.”

President Mnangagwa, who has declared war on corruption and recently fired a deputy minister who had been mired in graft, said the vice in all its ugly forms and at every level is being dealt with decisively.

“The message of hope, peace, tolerance, non-violence, love, respect and unity must be echoed across all party structures.

“Meanwhile, it is encouraging that we continue to receive great support and solidarity in our call for the immediate and unconditional removal of the illegal economic sanctions imposed on our country.

“To this end, I want to convey my sincere gratitude to my brother and colleague, the President of the Republic of Senegal and Chairperson of the African Union, His Excellency, Macky Sall, for his recent call for the removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe.”

Riding on President Mnangagwa’s pillar foreign policy of engagement and re-engagement, the country has been able to reach out to former hostile nations, while calls for the unconditional removal of illegal economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by some Western countries have grown remarkably with Africa and the rest of the progressive world speaking with one voice on the matter.

“This gesture of solidarity with our country is most appreciated. Our Engagement and Re-engagement Policy is yielding positive results as the country continues to host numerous investment delegations some of who have already committed and signed concrete investment agreements.

“In May, I attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The platform helped to strengthen our relations with Switzerland who are presently our biggest European investors and have partnered our Government in the preservation of our liberation war heritage as well as other aspects of institutional capacity building.”

The President said his administration, which is carrying development that leaves no one and no place behind, will continue rolling out programmes that will benefit all Zimbabweans both in urban and rural settings.

“As the Second Republic, we are leaving no one and no place behind. We will, thus, continue to roll out our programmes that ensure that all our people benefit. My recent visits to Harare South and Glenview North constituencies, for the handover of the state of the art clinic in Stoneridge and boreholes in Glenview 3, were revealing.

“No matter the difficulties faced by our people, the party leadership should remain with the people explaining programmes of Government and together with them, implementing programmes and projects to solve their daily challenges.

“The mobilisation strategy we deployed during the by-elections must be sharpened. The campaign structures should ensure that the grassroots register as voters and must vote for Zanu PF. Most importantly, there must be increased visibility of the party, cell by cell, branch by branch, district by district,” said President Mnangagwa.