Zimpapers Logo

VP Mphoko

As the ruling party Zanu-PF holds its 15th Annual National People’s Conference this week, we call upon the cadres to maintain top discipline.

The ruling party is known for following strict disciplinary measures, which members are fully aware of. Lack of discipline can easily derail all the good things that the party has been working on.

It has already been stated that this conference is about finding strategies to improve the livelihoods of the people and fulfil the promises made to the electorate during the 2013 harmonised elections.

The ruling party overwhelmingly won both the presidential and parliamentary elections on the back of campaigns whose message was about improving people’s lives. And the Politburo re-affirmed this position at its meeting on Monday, an announcement that has raised hope and expectations among the people.

This is why we expect discipline to prevail within the party because without that watch word, all what the party has set to achieve might come to naught. The party cannot hope to come up with effective programmes and projects when its officials are not pulling in the same direction.

Lack of discipline is a sure sign that party members will be pursuing different agendas.

We are very much aware that in every political party, there are always contestations, but it becomes worrisome when such moves breed an undisciplined lot.

In fact, we urge the party cadres to strictly follow the party’s constitution which defines times and periods when they are free to express themselves in terms of seeking positions. As for this conference, party cadres are pretty much aware that it is not about leadership positions.

But it worries us when there are some party members who, through their actions or otherwise, behave as if the party is going for elections at the conference. Leadership issues were appropriately settled at the party’s 6th National People’s Congress in December last year. Congress affirmed that there is only one centre of power in the party and that is President Mugabe. Disciplined cadres must follow the party’s rules and procedures and respect the leadership at all levels.

We totally agree with Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko when he said on Sunday that there are some “rotten” people within the party.

He was speaking at the Zanu-PF Harare provincial conference convened ahead of the party’s conference.

VP Mphoko made startling revelations that there were some cadres with the guts to insult President Mugabe using covert means such as creating shadowy groups.

He said: “Mr Chairman, (Cde Charles Tawengwa) make sure all your resolutions are solid. They should criminalise this open insult. President Mugabe does not need rotten people, if you become something else he does not need you.

“He can do with all the people, but not individuals. Do not insult the President using other means, kurova imbwa wakaviga mupini.” The undisciplined party cadres must learn from what happened at the December 2014 Congress where a number of people lost their positions and were eventually expelled from the party.

The Mujuru cabal was thrown out of the party because of ill-discipline which led its members to plot against President Mugabe.

If the cabal was allowed to prevail, there would have been chaos in Zanu-PF.

Indiscipline breeds confusion within the party and we expect party members with such inclination to desist from their actions.

Otherwise, all eyes are on Zanu-PF as it holds its conference in Victoria Falls and in the same vein, it is up to the party to shame its detractors by showing unity.