The Sunday Mail
SINCE coming into office in 2017, President Mnangagwa has been on a crusade to revolutionise ZANU PF, with the aim of improving its operations at a technical and political level.
Dr Obert Moses Mpofu
As a result, there has been a resurgence of the party, as it has grown from strength to strength.
ZANU PF, under President Mnangagwa, has witnessed immense renewal and is barely recognisable as the party of old. This new ZANU PF has become a colossal party that is efficient in its operations.
My party, ZANU PF, under President Mnangagwa, whom we affectionately call ED, is now a professional party of note. This has been done through the appointment of experienced former members of Cabinet, who held influential positions in Government, to lead key departments as full-time members responsible for improving party operations in every aspect.
The key appointments made by the President to spearhead the transformation of the party into an efficient and professional organisation of note include my appointment as Secretary-General, Cde Patrick Chinamasa’s appointment as Treasurer-General, Cde Simbarashe Mumbengegwi’s appointment as Secretary for External Affairs and Cde Dr Mike Bimha’s appointment as the National Political Commissar.
To further improve operations, ZANU PF has engaged professionals to occupy strategic technical positions, and the majority of the party’s directors are academics and professionals from both industry and commerce.
I dare say, ZANU PF is one of the entities with quite a number of PhD holders as part of its technical staff. The party has also managed to grow in the period that President Mnangagwa has been President and First Secretary with the introduction of new departments such as the War Veterans League and the Council of Elders.
This is all part of efforts by the party to keep abreast with modern-day changes and needs of its stakeholders. Such appointments bring a wealth of experience, attained through decades of service in Government, to the party.
This has brought an invaluable amount of experience attained through years at the helm of Government ministries. Further, these key appointments have been instrumental in solidifying ZANU PF as one of the most formidable parties, not only in the region, but also on the African continent.
ZANU PF has proven to be a dynamic party.
The shift of my previous party position as Secretary for Administration to Secretary-General — a position solely designed to run the party from the headquarters — has further improved operations. My appointment as Secretary-General has essentially made me the CEO of the party, and this has enabled me to play a leading role, under the guidance of the President and First Secretary of the party, Cde Mnangagwa.
Through his astute leadership, I have been able to also play a part in championing ZANU PF’s cause and turning it into a formidable force.
This is but one of the changes that President Mnangagwa has brought in to transform the party. All the party’s departments have been tasked with different assignments to drive the President’s vision and, at the same time, influence Government policy based on the party’s ideology of being people-centred.
Due to these appointments to senior party positions and head of departments, my party has been able to achieve massive success in all its endeavours.
Such appointments by the President and First Secretary have indeed been a statement of intent, which has shown his commitment to achieving Vision 2030 through the party.
As has already been seen through this campaign season, these appointments have borne fruit, as ZANU PF’s support has drastically increased, as evidenced by massive turnouts at star rallies held so far across the country. As a result, ZANU PF has become a source of inspiration, with other regional and sister revolutionary political parties now seeking to emulate the party’s modus operandi.
The entire region and beyond have been admiring the way ZANU PF is operating. In addition, my party’s supporters, as well as the people of Zimbabwe, have given a lot of respect to the party and have been admiring its works. At this stage, no one can truly compete with ZANU PF’s ability to organise and be properly structured, which is the major reason the party has become quite attractive to the masses and why ED will lead ZANU PF to a resounding victory come August 23.
It is evident that the opposition is in disarray.
They should remember that elections are won through structured organisation and unity, features which are only present in ZANU PF.
So attractive has been this renewed ZANU PF that even some former serving members of the leadership in main opposition parties have begun joining ZANU PF in droves.
They have been abandoning the opposition’s fast-sinking ship. It cannot be denied that everyone now wants to work with the party, including returnees, affiliates and the “For ED” movement.
All these efforts in the party have been instrumental in opening up the country, and Zimbabwe is now indeed open for business.
ZANU PF’s policies and philosophy, as envisioned by President Mnangagwa, have made it possible to open up the economy to both local and outside investments.
Of note is how young people have now been empowered to take up spaces and succeed in key sectors of the economy, such as tourism, mining and agriculture, as well as in several other entrepreneurial activities.
In addition, President Mnangagwa has, in his first term in office, made inroads towards uniting the entire country through practical activities championed by his philosophy of leaving no one and no place behind. As such, President Mnangagwa has visited all of the country’s 10 provinces, where he has launched several key projects aimed at rapidly bringing development to all corners of the country through devolution.
The composition of his administration has sought to strike a balance through ensuring that key positions in both the party and Government are occupied by people from all of the country’s regions, thereby weeding out tribalism and promoting national unity, which is testament to the fact that no one and no place is left behind.
Indeed, “nyika iri kuvakwa nevene vayo, ilizwe liyakhiwa ngabanikazi balo”.
President Mnangagwa has also managed to effectively tackle the Gukurahundi matter by not shying away from it and, thus, he has ensured that the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission is well-constituted and able to conduct its constitutional mandate of promoting peace, reconciliation and national healing. President Mnangagwa has, thus, openly engaged this matter to find lasting solutions.
It is indeed through President Mnangagwa that ZANU PF has been transformed and improved into a respected entity, and I am more than honoured to have also played a key role in spearheading this transformation as Secretary-General of the party.
Dr Obert Moses Mpofu is the Secretary-General of ZANU PF. He writes in his own capacity.
