News / Local
'Bulawayo's low ranking justified'
18 Dec 2013 at 02:24hrs | Views
Zanu-PF Bulawayo Province takes its poor rating on the party's national performance scale as a call for it to work harder so as to enhance its record at future elections.
The province was ranked last in terms of administration and electoral performance over the past 12 months, taking over from Mashonaland West which occupied that ranking last year.
Zanu-PF national secretary for the commissariat, Webster Shamu told the party's 14th National People's Conference at the weekend in Chinhoyi that Bulawayo Province was number 10, the worst performing out of the party's 10 provinces. Provincial chairman, Professor Callistus Ndlovu, was handed the party constitution. Matabeleland South was ranked first and was given a trophy and prize money.
Prof Ndlovu said the low ranking was justified given that his province did not win any seats in the July harmonised election.
"We could not expect to be placed anywhere else," he said. "Bulawayo Province has been facing a number of challenges, which is the reason why I was appointed to the position of chairman mid-stream.
There is nothing strange about this. Mashonaland West was in the same position at the Gweru National People's Conference last year, but they performed better this time. As far as we are concerned, we understand why we are where we are. We did not perform well at elections, but we can only do our best. We don't begrudge anyone."
Zanu-PF Matabeleland South Province emerged as the best province in terms of electoral performance and administration. The province received $15,000 in cash and the President's Trophy. Zanu-PF won all the 13 National Assembly seats in that province during the July 31 elections.
Mashonaland Central was second and was handed $10,000 while Manicaland was third and given $5,000 prize money. Masvingo was fourth, Mashonaland East (fifth), Mashonaland West (sixth), Midlands (seventh), Harare (eighth) and Matabeleland North (ninth). Bulawayo Province, where the party failed to win a single seat, was last.
Prof Ndlovu said one challenge which has been the source of instability and needs to be ironed out in Bulawayo were contradictions between former Zapu and Zanu members.
"I hope that the new executive will work together and deal with the contradictions we have between former Zapu and former Zanu members. It is a fault line that has to be removed. It is not correct to say Bulawayo tried to exclude some people.
"We have tried, in this new executive to divide posts on a 50-50 basis between former Zapu and former Zanu to deal with that contradiction. We are not trying to exclude anybody and we don't have a policy to exclude anybody. We showed that in this executive."
Because of the contradictions, he said, people in the province tended to align themselves with their past, with former Zapu members always voting and supporting ex-Zapu members with former Zanu members doing the same. This happens even at times for internal elections.
"Secondly, there is a need for concerted effort to eradicate tribalism in the province," Prof Ndlovu said. "When they elect people, they tend to follow these lines and the tribal element is there. We tried to accommodate everyone in the new executive. But I must say it is not a challenge facing us only as Bulawayo.
Other cities are facing the same challenge, including Harare for example. Each group of people tends to get parochial tendencies."
As has been the case since 2000, Zanu-PF lost in all National Assembly and municipal seats in Bulawayo. MDC-T won all the 12 National Assembly seats and the 29 municipal wards.
Commenting on the Chinhoyi conference, Prof Ndlovu said it was a successful event that came up with strong resolutions that he said can take the party and country forward if implemented as envisaged.
"It was a success and the theme was appropriate given the economic challenges we have," he said. "We came up with very strong resolutions and we are satisfied. The conference came up with very positive resolutions that have potential to transform the party and country in a big way."
The conference at the Chinhoyi University of Technology was held under the theme, "Zim Asset: Growing the Economy for Empowerment and Employment." A total of 4,326 delegates attended the five-day event.
The province was ranked last in terms of administration and electoral performance over the past 12 months, taking over from Mashonaland West which occupied that ranking last year.
Zanu-PF national secretary for the commissariat, Webster Shamu told the party's 14th National People's Conference at the weekend in Chinhoyi that Bulawayo Province was number 10, the worst performing out of the party's 10 provinces. Provincial chairman, Professor Callistus Ndlovu, was handed the party constitution. Matabeleland South was ranked first and was given a trophy and prize money.
Prof Ndlovu said the low ranking was justified given that his province did not win any seats in the July harmonised election.
"We could not expect to be placed anywhere else," he said. "Bulawayo Province has been facing a number of challenges, which is the reason why I was appointed to the position of chairman mid-stream.
There is nothing strange about this. Mashonaland West was in the same position at the Gweru National People's Conference last year, but they performed better this time. As far as we are concerned, we understand why we are where we are. We did not perform well at elections, but we can only do our best. We don't begrudge anyone."
Zanu-PF Matabeleland South Province emerged as the best province in terms of electoral performance and administration. The province received $15,000 in cash and the President's Trophy. Zanu-PF won all the 13 National Assembly seats in that province during the July 31 elections.
Mashonaland Central was second and was handed $10,000 while Manicaland was third and given $5,000 prize money. Masvingo was fourth, Mashonaland East (fifth), Mashonaland West (sixth), Midlands (seventh), Harare (eighth) and Matabeleland North (ninth). Bulawayo Province, where the party failed to win a single seat, was last.
Prof Ndlovu said one challenge which has been the source of instability and needs to be ironed out in Bulawayo were contradictions between former Zapu and Zanu members.
"I hope that the new executive will work together and deal with the contradictions we have between former Zapu and former Zanu members. It is a fault line that has to be removed. It is not correct to say Bulawayo tried to exclude some people.
"We have tried, in this new executive to divide posts on a 50-50 basis between former Zapu and former Zanu to deal with that contradiction. We are not trying to exclude anybody and we don't have a policy to exclude anybody. We showed that in this executive."
Because of the contradictions, he said, people in the province tended to align themselves with their past, with former Zapu members always voting and supporting ex-Zapu members with former Zanu members doing the same. This happens even at times for internal elections.
"Secondly, there is a need for concerted effort to eradicate tribalism in the province," Prof Ndlovu said. "When they elect people, they tend to follow these lines and the tribal element is there. We tried to accommodate everyone in the new executive. But I must say it is not a challenge facing us only as Bulawayo.
Other cities are facing the same challenge, including Harare for example. Each group of people tends to get parochial tendencies."
As has been the case since 2000, Zanu-PF lost in all National Assembly and municipal seats in Bulawayo. MDC-T won all the 12 National Assembly seats and the 29 municipal wards.
Commenting on the Chinhoyi conference, Prof Ndlovu said it was a successful event that came up with strong resolutions that he said can take the party and country forward if implemented as envisaged.
"It was a success and the theme was appropriate given the economic challenges we have," he said. "We came up with very strong resolutions and we are satisfied. The conference came up with very positive resolutions that have potential to transform the party and country in a big way."
The conference at the Chinhoyi University of Technology was held under the theme, "Zim Asset: Growing the Economy for Empowerment and Employment." A total of 4,326 delegates attended the five-day event.
Source - chronicle
