Zimpapers Logo

UPDATES: Vusumuzi Dube; PHOTOGRAPHY: Wilson Kakurira; PICTURE EDITOR: Joseph Murisi; ONLINE EDITOR: Costa Mano

1838: The National Anthem is now being sung signalling an end to proceedings here at Robert Mugabe Square in the capital. That concludes our updates. Thank you for joining us.

1823: Cde Khaya Moyo is now back on the podium and announces that the First Lady Amai Auxilia Mnangagwa has donated a hamper to each delegate.

1816: Dr Obert Mpofu has been appointed as Secretary for Administration, Cde Patrick Chinamasa is now Secretary for Finance, Major General Engelbert Rugeje becomes Secretary for the Commissariat, Secretary for Security Cde Lovemore Matuke, Secretary for Transport is Cde July Moyo, Secretary for Science and Technology is Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa, Secretary for War Veterans, Detainees and Restrictees is Cde Victor Matematanda, Cde Munyaradzi Machacha becomes Head of Chitepo Ideological College and becomes a member of the Politburo. Secretary for Legal Affairs is Cde Paul Mangwana, Cde Mabel Chinomona becomes Secretary for Women’s Affairs and Cde Pupurai Togarepi has been reappointed as Secretary for Youth Affairs.

He ends his address.

1803: The President has announced that he is delaying the appointments of Vice Presidents. Meanwhile, he has appointed Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri as the party’s chairperson.

1756: President Mnangagwa says the party has been revived and the party faithful should desist from violence during the 2018 elections as there is no opposition to talk about.

1752: “We must provide youths with answers rooted in the future…we must encourage them to part of our structures only then can we guarantee the party’s future,”

1750: He says wayward party cadres who have been forgiven should not think the party has forgotten. President Mnangagwa says they can only win at the ballot if they can show that they can revive the economy.

1746: He has asked the party members to vow that the evil of corruption should come to an end.  The President says some people sought donations on behalf of the party as they prepared for this extraordinary congress but the money never arrived.

1744: “The age of land barons and haphazard settlements is over,”

1742: His Excellency says the frustration caused by cash shortages is felt most during this festive season and in January as schools open. He says comprehensive measures will be rolled out and calls patience as the new measures adopted by Government will soon be bearing results.  He has also urged retailers to desist from profiteering and have people at heart.

1738: Government will accelerate the implementation of Special Economic Zones in order to lure investment.

1736: President Mnangagwa says the Government will go on an aggressive fish breeding programme.

“We will also increase support to command livestock and fishery so that these have a huge input towards the revival of our economy,”

1730: “Government will increase support to Command Agriculture which was facing sabotage. We will also increase our support to the Presidential input scheme,”

1729: “The task at hand is rebuilding our wonderful country. The Government will leave no stone unturned to fully exploit the country’s resources,”

1727: “I salute each and every one of you, I am proud to be your cde and I am proud that you are my cdes. Let us be mindful that Zanu-PF is not the party of its leader but of its members.I am just the first of equals. We are bound by the threads of our party constitution,”

1723:  “I am delighted by the resolve which you had during deliberations at this extraordinary congress. We are a competent and forward thinking party,”

1722: “Thank you very much cdes. This morning when I made my opening remarks I was the incoming President so I was careful in what I was saying, right now I am free to say what I want as I am your President. I give you my closing remarks then I will make some special appointments,”

1720: President Mnangagwa is now giving his closing remarks to mark the end of the extraordinary congress.

1710: Delegates to the extraordinary congress erupt in song and dance to show their support for the adoption of the resolutions without any alterations.

1705: Speaker of Parliament Cde Jacob Mudenda now moves the motion for the adoption of the resolutions without amendments. Cde Mudenda is seconded by Cde Monica Mutsvangwa.

1701: Cde Chinamasa is now requesting the extraordinary congress to adopt the resolutions of the special session of the Central Committee meeting.

1658: Cde Mabel Chinomona representing the Women’s League says the league had lost its integrity under the leadership of former First Lady Grace Mugabe. She says, as women, they are restless and will only be happy once Jonathan Moyo and Saviour Kasukuwere are brought to book for the crimes they committed. The Women’s League has also endorsed the resolutions.

1640: Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association Secretary General and Zanu-PF National Political Commissar Cde Matematanda has also endorsed the resolutions.

1611: Among the resolutions which the extraordinary congress is set to ratify the appointment of President Mnangagwa as the party’s First Secretary and be the party’s Presidential candidate for next year’s elections. Provincial party chairperson led by Matabeleland North chairperson Cde Richard Moyo now giving their messages to endorse the resolutions made by the special session of the Central Committee.

1558: “It was a historic day in our party as the Central Committee met and made resolutions which will reverberate in our party for years to come. The interface rallies led to the sitting of the special session of the Central Committee.The rallies were used to sow seeds of division, hatred and tribalism. We also saw that the former First Lady had usurped presidential powers to fire party members at will,” says Cde Chinamasa

1552: Zanu-PF secretary for Legal Affairs Cde Patrick Chinamasa is now giving resolutions of the Central Committee held on November 19 2017.

1543: A youth representative is now on the podium and says students want Government to consider the issue of fees recommending that fees be structured according to the salary structure of civil servants as they have the majority of children in tertiary institutions.

1536: Cde Mutsvangwa praises First Lady Amai Mnangagwa for sitting with fellow delegates instead of elbowing her way to the top table by virtue of being the First Lady.

1533: War veterans leader Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa is now on the podium and says they have travelled a long in fighting the G40 and along the way, there have been heroes and heroines who include Cdes Shuvai Mahofa, Esphina Nhari and Jah Prayzah. He praises President Mnangagwa for refusing to have praise songs in his honour.

1527: Chief Charumbira says come the campaign trail for the 2018 harmonised election will see chiefs work hand in hand with war veterans. He praises President Mnangagwa as an action-oriented leader who doesn’t survive on factionalism and rumour mongering.

1525: “We came here to congratulate you Zanu-PF because you did something good and commendable as traditional leaders. We were also worried that you were not acting while our party was going down the drain….it had become a taboo to be seen talking to anyone deemed unacceptable, we had become a party of spies but now we have freedom of association. You learnt that the party cannot stand without war veterans and we hope this is the final lesson members of the party will heed regards the importance of war veterans in this party….as a chief we have also learnt that I as a chief should not allow my wife to preside over cases,” says Chief Charumbira.

1520: We are now moving to local groupings who will give their solidarity messages starting with traditional leaders followed by war veterans then students. President of the Chiefs Council Chief Fortune Charumbira now giving his solidarity message of behalf of other chiefs.

1429: Solidarity messages continue, so far we have had presentations from the Democratic Party of Malawi, Progressive Democratic Party of Malawi, Frelimo, People’s Party for reconstruction and democracy of DRC, Patriotic Party of Zambia, Communist Party of China and the Botswana Democratic party.

1340: We now move to the solidarity messages starting with one from South Africas ANC which will be presented by the party’s national chairperson Cde Baleka Mbethe.

1336: Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri lauds the war veterans for the role they played leading to the new dispensation.

“We now see light at the end of the tunnel due to your astute leadership President Mnangagwa, within the few weeks you have been at the helm has seen a lot of changes in the economy,”

1326: Master of Ceremonies Cde Khaya Moyo has now called Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri to give the Vote of Thanks.

1315: President Mnangagwa now tables the central committee report and ends his address.

1312: “Let us commit to uniting the party membership. The disintegration of the party must never be allowed again,”

1309: President Mnangagwa says the party should shift focus and now instead of being a party of politics and politics alone but must become about a party of politics and economy.

“My Presidency is not to be seen as a rise of a certain region or tribe but should be seen as rise of total unity. I am an emissary of all veterans and heroes dead or live. I am a President for everyone,”

1304: “War veterans should be at the core of all this. Their value is greater than their vote. We must stop being a party of the past but become a party of the future,”

1302: “We must now focus on rebuilding our party and restore the confidence of the people which had been lost because of this cabal (G40),”

1259: “The ninth interface rally ended with me being likened to a snake whose head had to be crashed. This was all said by people who have little history in the liberation of the country….Let us draw lessons from all that has happened, revolutions get infiltrated but let us not lower our guard ever again. Let us remain genuine cadres instead of careerist who focus on self-gain and enrichment. In the future, let’s remain disciplined, disciplined and disciplined,”

1256: “Our history and legacy were under threat from the G40 cabal which had divided the party. Party structures were overrun, corrupt activities were daily sanitised, the country was violated with impunity. The so-called youth interface rallies were not mobilisation but were agendas,”

1252: “I would like to salute CDF Constantino Chiwenga and the entire ZDF and also the war veterans who remained resolute despite being condemned at times but they indeed remained resolute…The people of Zimbabwe showed that they are united by the Zimbabwe flag, national anthem and legacy. The voice of the people is the voice of God,”

1248: “Above all, we must ensure peace in our land. We who are called upon to lead the party must always remember that we are servants of the party and the nation…a new era of prosperity for our people is in the making,”

1247: The 2018 general elections will be held as scheduled.

1244: His Excellency pays his respects to liberation struggle forebearers saying the duty to continue the struggle is a collective effort. He describes Zanu-PF as a great party and so is its history. He says it’s a party tied to the people through blood shed during the liberation struggle.

“It must be an instrument available to a national purpose…our party must be an instrument for the realisation of the collective dreams of our people…that is our duty as a party of national liberation which wields power responsibly. Democracy and respect for the rule of law runs through the veins our party since independence,”

1238: President Mnangagwa says every member of the party shall have the duty to be loyal, abide by the party rules, understand party principles, defend the party and popularise the party’s principles as well as not bring the name of the party into disrepute.

1235: President Mnangagwa is now on the podium. He says he is humbled and honoured to greet and welcome all delegates to the congress. He recognises the sister liberation struggle parties that they shared the trenches with.

1231: Dr Mpofu describes President Mnangagwa as a caring and loving father, an attentive listener, man of the people, large-hearted unifier and is an inspiration of confidence and hope among his countrymen. While most would like to call him Ngwena or INgwenya, which may explain his alertness, he remains as soft and as tender as an African mother’s love. He has now called the President to give his keynote address.

1224: Dr Mpofu says recent events saw the party go on a drive of self-destruction. Party meetings and gatherings, he says, became unpredictable and turned into platforms of disunity. He says party cadres within the rank and file as well the war veterans became routine targets of abuse. He laments the random expulsions of the party faithful by political turncoats who ran the party as they pleased. He says the former President Cde Mugabe had completely lost control of the party.

1218: Dr Mpofu is now giving his welcome address after which he will invite President Mnangagwa to give his keynote address.

1203: Delegates are now being presented to the congress and they are making their presence felt through song and dance.

1201: Dr Mpofu has also warned Harare delegates to behave saying President Mnangagwa is a strict disciplinarian.

1158: Cde Khaya Moyo castigates Harare Province delegates for being unruly during Cde Chikukwa’s address and especially so in the presence of President Mnangagwa. He now invites the Acting Secretary of Administration Dr Obert Mpofu to present delegates to the extraordinary congress.

1154: Master of Ceremonies Cde Simon Khaya Moyo calls for chairpersons that will be invited to the podium to make welcome remarks only and make no salutations as they’re known. The speakers should get straight to the point. Cde Miriam Chikukwa is now making her welcome remarks as the Minister of State for Harare Provincial Affairs.

1152: He says the appointment of President Mnangagwa marks the start of a new era. Cde Masimirembwa narrates the process that led to the resignation of former President Cde Robert Mugabe.  He says the province is delighted to be at the congress and duly nominates President Mnangagwa to be the party’s candidate in the harmonised elections set for 2018.

1145: Chairman of Harare Metropolitan Province, Cde Goodwills Masimirembwa, is now on the podium.

1138: Acting Secretary of Administration Dr Obert Mpofu gets the official business started by reading the agenda of the extraordinary congress.

1131: The delegates are now on their feet dancing as Jah Prayzah belts out his popular song-Kutonga Kwaro.

1124: President Mnangagwa is flanked at the high table by acting Secretary for Administration Dr Obert Mpofu and Secretary for Legal Affairs Cde Patrick Chinamasa while the First Lady is seated with her fellow Politburo members.

1118: The National Anthem now being sung to start official proceedings.

1116: Whistles and ululation as President Mnangagwa and the First Lady Amai Mnangagwa make their way into congress venue.

1112: Tree planting is now complete and the programme now shifts inside where President Mnangagwa will give his opening remarks.

1054: The President is also officially opening a park which will be established at the Robert Mugabe square. The park will mainly be made up of fruit trees.

1049: President ED Mnangagwa and the First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa have just arrived at the congress venue. They are now planting trees at the venue to launch the National Tree Planting day.

1044: Delegates to the Zanu-PF extraordinary congress, which is being held at the Robert Mugabe Square behind Rainbow Towers in Harare, are now seated as they wait for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s arrival. Only senior party members remain outside as they wait to welcome President Mnangagwa who is set to plant a tree as part of commemorations of the National Tree Planting day.

Around 7 874 people are expected to attend from the ten provinces in Zimbabwe, various Zanu-PF chapters in the diaspora and international friends of the party. Delegates will be drawn from the Central Committee, the National Consultative Assembly, Youth League, Women’s League and the Provincial Executive Councils. The duration was cut to three days from the previously suggested five days with the party leadership agreeing to cut the budget drastically. The congress is expected to endorse changes that came up as a result of Operation Restore Legacy.