The Sunday Mail
Levi Mukarati and Nduduzo Tshuma
At the turn of the new millennium, young people — as they are wont to do — tweaked the word “awesome”.
Feeling that “awesome” was not superlatively awesome enough, they came up with “awesomesauce”, a word that has been formally adopted in mainstream vocabulary and by major dictionaries.
Awesomesauce is something that is beyond awesome, something truly spectacular without any of the hyperbole usually associated with such expressions.
Zanu-PF’s 17th Annual National People’s Conference, which ended in Esigodini yesterday, could sit well with the tag awesomesauce.
Delegates, observers, the media and other participants are accustomed to a bureaucratic nightmare when it comes to getting accreditation to a Zanu-PF indaba.
Not this time around.
Stories have also abounded of schools being forced to “donate” use of their buses to ferry delegates.
Again, not this time around.
There have always been complaints about delegates being short-changed on meals and accommodation.
You guessed right – not this time around.
In conferences gone by, the spouses of party grandees hogged seats at the top table as if elective official power was sexually transmitted.
That ghost of indabas past has also been slain as the top table was only occupied by the Presidium and the secretaries for administration and finance, who oversee proceedings as mandated by the party constitution.
The levels of discipline were noticeably better, with the incessant movements and distracting chatter of thousands of people confined in one place much less than in years gone by.
The agenda was well articulated in advance, with six clearly defined items on the table.
There were was no glut of vendors trading inside the main Conference marquee or indeed past the security checkpoints.
And the colour co-ordination was spot on: with delegates donning the red, green, yellow, black and white synonymous with both Zanu-PF and the national flag.
Interesting and unique designer takes on party regalia were on show as if people were competing to see who could look more Zanu-PF than anyone else.
National chairperson Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri was clearly impressed, and made an impromptu contest of things to settle the question of who was the fairest of them all.
“Cde President, I think we should do a fashion show for us to see some of the clothing designs that are coming from our members.
“They give us pride to wear our regalia,” she suggested at the Friday opening.
And yesterday First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa and Cde Mary Chiwenga, wife of Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga handed out prizes to the best dressed of the delegates.
Amai Mnangagwa was a refreshing figure, totally breaking from the legacy of a graceless divisiveness characteristic of a certain ex-First Lady.
Her major concerns are good health – particularly on matters of hygiene, cancer and HIV and Aids – and the twin pandemics of child marriages and domestic violence.
Delegates spoke unanimously and resoundingly on endorsement of President Mnangagwa as the party’s candidate in the 2023 elections.
The speech by VP Chiwenga supporting President Mnagagwa’s candidacy, and the add-on by Cde Muchunguri-Kashiri (who, by the way, is the first woman to superintend the annual indaba), dispelled wild rumours of a rift in the Presidium.
Cde Mnangagwa was clearly charmed by the entire organisation of the event and the manner in which delegates engaged each other.
“It is with a great sense of pride in our evolving and reforming party that I address you to close our historic 17th National People’s Conference,” he said.
“I am humbled by the constructive, candid and frank discussions we have had during this conference.
“Ndinozvininipisa kupiwa nguva ino yekupendera musangano wataita nerunyararo rwatanga tinarwo tichiita musangano wedu.
“The insightful and instructive resolutions demonstrate the commitment and love for the development of the party and country at large.
“The convergence of ideas in respect of the various agenda items is inspiring; gives us zeal to fulfil that which we have set out to do.
“Tawirirana zvakawanda zvatataura. Zvinotipa shungu dzekuti tiende mberi tizviite.
“The focus, discipline and unity of purpose during the Conference were unprecedented and undoubtedly reflect a modernising and revolutional party.”
With the President Mnangagwa wrapping it up, the party now gets on with implementing its resolutions.
And unlike in the past where such conventions strayed into the dead of the night, the national anthem, marking the end of proceedings, was played by the Police Band 2:44pm.
Yes, this was awesomesauce.
