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Cde Mutasa

Hebert Zharare Political Editor
Zanu-PF is mobilising over US$3 million to fund its 14th Annual National People’s Conference to be held in Chinhoyi from December 10 and 15 this year, the party’s secretary for administration, Cde Didymus Mutasa, said yesterday. He said the party had also moved the conference venue to Chinhoyi University of Technology grounds.

Initially the party had planned to construct its multimillion dollar conference centre in Chinhoyi before December.
Cde Mutasa said tents would be pitched up at CUT after realising that the host province could not complete the construction work on time.
“We are still working on the budget but judging from previous budgets and projections, we are looking at the region of over US$3 million,” he said.

“We are appealing to some corporates and party members to assist us mobilise the money.
“We expect members to contribute more.

“For example, members of the executive should contribute US$200 each and we will disclose how much members of the Politburo and Central Committee are expected to contribute.”

Cde Mutasa said the party had tasked all the provinces to raise at least US$50 000 or more towards hosting of the conference.
Zanu-PF is yet to come up with this year’s conference theme.

Last year’s conference, which was held in Gweru, had a theme: “Indigenise, Empower, Develop and Create Employment.”
This became the theme of the party’s campaign for the harmonised elections held on July 31.

In its manifesto that won hearts of many Zimbabweans, who gave the party a fresh mandate to administer the country, Zanu-PF promised to create 2 265 million jobs in the next five years.

This would be part of the revolutionary party’s efforts to rebuild the economy that was battered by a decade of illegal sanctions imposed at the behest of the MDC formations.

According to the Zanu-PF manifesto, the country lost an accumulative US$42 billion through the illegal sanctions-induced economic hardships.

Besides spearheading a successful land reform that has benefited 976 500 people under (A1 scheme) and 113 802 (A2), so far 59 community share ownership schemes have been launched countrywide that have transformed lives of previously marginalised villagers.
It is against this background that Cde Mutasa said Zanu-PF expected contribution from its members, some of whom have been assisted to break new ground and become successful businesspeople by the revolutionary party.

“It is our hope that the party will receive a lot of assistance from its members and other people it has assisted to become successful businesspeople,” he said.

Commenting on the ongoing provincial elections, Cde Mutasa said the party was confident of completing the exercise before the December conference.

“I believe by mid this month we will be done with all the provinces.
“We have conducted elections in Manicaland, the Midlands and in Mashonaland West the elections were deferred. As for the timelines for the other provinces, the commissar (Cde Webster Shamu) will be in a position to tell the correct position,” he said.

This conference is critical to Zanu-PF as it comes after the party’s crushing victory against the MDC formations in the recent elections.
President Mugabe garnered 2 110 434 (61,09 percent) of the vote, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai 1 172 349 (33,94 percent), Professor Welshman Ncube 92 637 (2,68 percent), Mr Dumiso Dabengwa 25 416 (0,74 percent) and Mr Kisinoti Mukwazhe 9 931 (0,29 percent).
Zanu-PF won overwhelmingly in the National Assembly, gaining 197 seats after factoring in 60 women elected by proportional representation, while MDC-T has 70, MDC two with one independent.