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Joseph Madzimure-Senior Reporter

ZIMBABWE will not brook any evil machinations meant to weaken the country’s State security sector which is ever ready to deal with any mischief from either the country’s detractors or their puppets posing as opposition political parties, President Mnangagwa has said.

The warning comes in the wake of ugly violent scenes where opposition CCC activists ran amok, beating innocent civilians and destroying property at the instigation of their leaders in Chitungwiza. 

It also comes as the country’s detractors have renewed their attempts to effect illegal regime change in Zimbabwe using their pawns in the opposition, civic society, trade unions and non-governmental organisations. 

Officially opening the 364th ordinary session of the Zanu PF Politburo in Harare yesterday, President Mnangagwa, who is also Zanu PF First Secretary, said the nation is ready to defend itself from threats from any quarter of the world. 

“We will not brook devious machinations to weaken them (security sector), from whatever quarter. The security systems are fully aware of various antics at play and stand ready to appropriately deal with such mischief. Peace, unity and stability must continue to prevail in our country,” said President Mnangagwa.

He called upon the nation to remain peaceful and unite against any form of provocation and instigation from the country’s detractors who have roped in so-called civic society organisations to damage the reputation of Zimbabwe through contrived stories and reports to Western capitals. 

“I call upon the party and nation at large to remain peaceful and unite against provocation and instigated acts of violence by our usual detractors and their surrogate pseudo opposition parties. Our national institutions were established to advance our national interest. It is in this context that they must be respected.”

 President Mnangagwa urged senior Zanu PF members to be selfless and stay committed when carrying out their duties.

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa who is also Secretary for Environment and Tourism in the Politburo greets Cde Josiah Hungwe while Cdes Paul Mangwana and Richard Ndlovu look on during the Politburo meeting in Harare yesterday.

“I would like to reiterate that serving the party is a privilege and not a right. Every leader across the districts and provinces must thus cherish the role and mandate entrusted to him or her by the people, and our colossal revolutionary party. 

“As party leaders our role is to work hard to advance the collective goals of our party and beloved motherland, Zimbabwe.”

The President reiterated that no one was bigger than the party. 

“No one is bigger than the party. Like the many sons and daughters of the soil who fought for our freedom and independence, we must be selfless, committed, persistent, patriotic and unflinchingly loyal to our party and its leadership, no matter the challenges.

“In everything that we do, let us re-commit ourselves to upholding the constitution of the party, ideology, values and traditions”, said President Mnangagwa.

Under the Second Republic, President Mnangagwa said every Zimbabwean is important, no matter their station or status. 

“The party must accordingly recognise, support and facilitate our people to realise their full potential. 

“In this respect, the structures of the party should ensure that our communities are mobilised and organised to participate in every sphere of national development,” he said. 

President Mnangagwa also outlined programmes that have been initiated by the Second Republic to transform lives and livelihoods through development that leaves no one and no place behind towards the attainment of Vision 2030 to become an upper middle class economy. 

These include the nationwide borehole drilling programme which will see every village having a borehole and community garden. 

“The support and thorough planning by my Government has seen our farmers across the country planting an unprecedented total hectarage for the winter wheat crop. This will see us attaining about 13 months cover for wheat. Our farmers are congratulated for this support.

“As the Zanu PF Government, we are also heightening preparations for the 2022-2023 summer cropping season and the usual support to our farmers under Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme,” the President said. 

In view of climate change, he said, Government will be scaling up co-operation with partners both within the country and various institutions in Africa and beyond, to have a wider range of seed varieties to mitigate the risk of droughts.

“Going forward, I exhort the party leadership at all levels to foster and entrench the value of hard honest, creative and industrious work among our people. It is only through hard work, production and productivity that we can lift more of our people out of poverty and to enjoy an improved quality of life. 

“As a party, we must know the number of households we have empowered and lifted out of poverty,” President Mnangagwa said.

This year alone, the President has commissioned a number of high impact and people-centred projects such as the Murewa Registry Department Office, Radnor Mine, Bikita Minerals Lithium Project, Mount Meru Oil Manufacturing Factory in Mahusekwa and the Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Agro-Industrial Park.

Before the start of the Politburo meeting, a minute of silence was observed in honour of the late Angolan former President Jose Eduardo dos Santos.