News / National
No individual is bigger than the party (Zanu-PF), says Mnangagwa
05 May 2018 at 09:19hrs | Views
THE President and First Secretary of Zanu-PF Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday warned party cadres against imposing candidates in internal electoral processes, saying those who resort to chicanery to win in the selection process will not be tolerated in the new dispensation.
He said Zanu-PF is bigger than individuals despite their standing in the party.
Officially launching the 2018 Zanu-PF Campaign and Election Manifesto in Harare, Mnangagwa said the days of imposition and chicanery within the party are "dead and buried" and implored members to unite ahead of the harmonised elections.
"The days of imposition, chicanery and favouritism in our internal electoral processes are dead and buried. Never, never, ever again to be resurrected no matter the person's status or standing," he said.
The Zanu-PF First Secretary said leaders must always come from the people.
"This is the principle together with fairness, justice, right to freely elect leaders and to stand in party elections must be entrenched into our party's internal democratic tenets," he said.
Mnangagwa said the party leadership has an obligation to put the interests of the people first.
"We have always been and will always be obligated to do everything in the interest of people and rely on their strength and carry out the principle of 'from the people into the people'. We must fully respect their wishes, experiences, their rights and rules. We should cherish the power conferred on us by the people and our party membership and exercise it discreetly. The voice of people is the voice of God," he said.
Turning to the just ended primary elections, the President said the Politburo will meet today to go through the results in order to look at all the challenges faced in the process. He said the party has also ordered re-runs in some disputed constituencies. The primary elections were held from April 29 to May 3 under the newly created Zanu-PF National Elections Commission.
"As I exhorted in my statement on the conduct of primary elections issued on Monday, 30th of April 2018, whatever teething problems we have experienced so far we have noted them closely (and) this is why we will not announce the final list today since the Politburo will be meeting tomorrow to go through the results in order for us to look at all the challenges that have been faced in the processes of the primaries," he said.
"We remain convinced that (the) democratic course we have started in management of our party affairs is the correct one. We must thus never deviate from the bold decisions we took to deepen and strengthen our internal democratic systems. We should guard against those who may violate and undermine these democratic systems we have introduced."
Mnangagwa urged party members to unite ahead of the harmonised polls.
"The primaries may have come and gone although we may have to direct a few re-runs, the task ahead of us is much greater hence the call in our 2018 manifesto for unity and that must be loud and unequivocal, we must unite. As we reflect on recent primary elections and ready ourselves for a united solid and formidable campaign ahead of us I encourage us to be guided by the party constitution which obligates each and every one of us to be loyal to the party and to observe and abide by its policies, rules and regulations," he said.
Mnangagwa said party members must strengthen, promote and defend the party and popularise its policies among the people.
"Zanu-PF is a mass party, it is the people's party. IZanu-PF yisikhwama.Sonke siyakwana ku Zanu-PF. Ayikwani esikhwameni somuntu munye. Izakutshisa, ikutshise, ikutshise uze uyiphumise. As such we members of the party must recognise the enormity of the party and its rich ideology. As we enter the next phase of elections preparations I call upon us to be honest and honourable in our dealings both with the party and the public," he said.
Mnangagwa said party members should continuously strive to toe the party line at all costs.
"Let us put our differences aside and campaign for the thunderous victory of our revolutionary party. The party of our heritage, the party of the future, the party of posterity. Let us shun the propensity for bickering and unfettered sense of entitlement and general indiscipline. A house divided cannot stand and indeed where there is unity God commands his blessings towards unity," he said.
Zimbabwe is in good hands, he said, and there is no other party which can put the country in good hands.
"This launch marks the beginning of honesty and people centred hard work to win the hearts and minds of the electorate not as an end in itself but because we know that Zimbabwe is safe in Zanu-PF's hands," he said.
To this end, Mnangagwa said the focus of the ruling party as outlined at the extra-ordinary session of the National People's Congress in December 2017, is no longer politics alone, but politics and economics.
"The days of politics without action are dead and gone. We will not stop other political parties to continue dancing in politics without bringing bread on the table of our people," he said.
The Zanu-PF 2018 campaign and manifesto was launched under the theme: "Unite, Fight Corruption, Develop, Re-engage and Create Jobs.
Mnangagwa said the theme is most appropriate in the context of internal transformation of the party as well as the current national socio-economic vision to transform the country to a middle income status by 2030.
Mnangagwa said Zanu-PF has a responsibility to shape and reshape the national body politic, its practices, democratic behaviour and electoral ethos.
"As a party we must never flinch from this responsibility and indeed it is our responsibility you and me shoulder to shoulder as responsible cadres of this revolutionary party. Let us never forget that Zanu-PF has the special status and standing of being the party of national liberation making it a national heritage and courier of our national legacy and above all a definer of our country's future. We have widened the playing field and general right of members to choose and be chosen through our democratic party internal processes as enshrined in the party constitution," he said adding that the party is determined to rebuild the country through resuscitating and modernising all sectors of the economy.
"A stone by stone approach built Jerusalem and as we launch the party's campaign and election manifesto, the party has taken bold decisions under my administration to implement a raft of measures aimed at creating a conducive environment for economic growth and development. We have taken steps to transform our economic model to that which is open and transparent and guided by the mantra Zimbabwe is open for business. This new model informed by sustainable development that is not isolationist. We need win-win partnerships and foreign investments," he said.
Mnangagwa said Zanu-PF will ensure that the Government continues with the robust re-engagement process with the international community through consolidating the relations with other countries.
The President said the revolutionary party is committed to improving the people's livelihoods and will attend and vitalise the social service sector and continue to prioritise affordable education, particularly to people in rural areas.
He said clinics and housing will also be addressed by the next Zanu-PF Government including the plight of women, youths and vulnerable groups.
The new administration has attracted $11 billion in foreign direct investment commitments in the past five months he said.
On water challenges, Government has since acquired 10 drilling rigs and so far five are already in the country. The rigs go as deep as 1000 metres from the surface.
He said Zanu-PF is bigger than individuals despite their standing in the party.
Officially launching the 2018 Zanu-PF Campaign and Election Manifesto in Harare, Mnangagwa said the days of imposition and chicanery within the party are "dead and buried" and implored members to unite ahead of the harmonised elections.
"The days of imposition, chicanery and favouritism in our internal electoral processes are dead and buried. Never, never, ever again to be resurrected no matter the person's status or standing," he said.
The Zanu-PF First Secretary said leaders must always come from the people.
"This is the principle together with fairness, justice, right to freely elect leaders and to stand in party elections must be entrenched into our party's internal democratic tenets," he said.
Mnangagwa said the party leadership has an obligation to put the interests of the people first.
"We have always been and will always be obligated to do everything in the interest of people and rely on their strength and carry out the principle of 'from the people into the people'. We must fully respect their wishes, experiences, their rights and rules. We should cherish the power conferred on us by the people and our party membership and exercise it discreetly. The voice of people is the voice of God," he said.
Turning to the just ended primary elections, the President said the Politburo will meet today to go through the results in order to look at all the challenges faced in the process. He said the party has also ordered re-runs in some disputed constituencies. The primary elections were held from April 29 to May 3 under the newly created Zanu-PF National Elections Commission.
"As I exhorted in my statement on the conduct of primary elections issued on Monday, 30th of April 2018, whatever teething problems we have experienced so far we have noted them closely (and) this is why we will not announce the final list today since the Politburo will be meeting tomorrow to go through the results in order for us to look at all the challenges that have been faced in the processes of the primaries," he said.
"We remain convinced that (the) democratic course we have started in management of our party affairs is the correct one. We must thus never deviate from the bold decisions we took to deepen and strengthen our internal democratic systems. We should guard against those who may violate and undermine these democratic systems we have introduced."
Mnangagwa urged party members to unite ahead of the harmonised polls.
"The primaries may have come and gone although we may have to direct a few re-runs, the task ahead of us is much greater hence the call in our 2018 manifesto for unity and that must be loud and unequivocal, we must unite. As we reflect on recent primary elections and ready ourselves for a united solid and formidable campaign ahead of us I encourage us to be guided by the party constitution which obligates each and every one of us to be loyal to the party and to observe and abide by its policies, rules and regulations," he said.
Mnangagwa said party members must strengthen, promote and defend the party and popularise its policies among the people.
"Zanu-PF is a mass party, it is the people's party. IZanu-PF yisikhwama.Sonke siyakwana ku Zanu-PF. Ayikwani esikhwameni somuntu munye. Izakutshisa, ikutshise, ikutshise uze uyiphumise. As such we members of the party must recognise the enormity of the party and its rich ideology. As we enter the next phase of elections preparations I call upon us to be honest and honourable in our dealings both with the party and the public," he said.
"Let us put our differences aside and campaign for the thunderous victory of our revolutionary party. The party of our heritage, the party of the future, the party of posterity. Let us shun the propensity for bickering and unfettered sense of entitlement and general indiscipline. A house divided cannot stand and indeed where there is unity God commands his blessings towards unity," he said.
Zimbabwe is in good hands, he said, and there is no other party which can put the country in good hands.
"This launch marks the beginning of honesty and people centred hard work to win the hearts and minds of the electorate not as an end in itself but because we know that Zimbabwe is safe in Zanu-PF's hands," he said.
To this end, Mnangagwa said the focus of the ruling party as outlined at the extra-ordinary session of the National People's Congress in December 2017, is no longer politics alone, but politics and economics.
"The days of politics without action are dead and gone. We will not stop other political parties to continue dancing in politics without bringing bread on the table of our people," he said.
The Zanu-PF 2018 campaign and manifesto was launched under the theme: "Unite, Fight Corruption, Develop, Re-engage and Create Jobs.
Mnangagwa said the theme is most appropriate in the context of internal transformation of the party as well as the current national socio-economic vision to transform the country to a middle income status by 2030.
Mnangagwa said Zanu-PF has a responsibility to shape and reshape the national body politic, its practices, democratic behaviour and electoral ethos.
"As a party we must never flinch from this responsibility and indeed it is our responsibility you and me shoulder to shoulder as responsible cadres of this revolutionary party. Let us never forget that Zanu-PF has the special status and standing of being the party of national liberation making it a national heritage and courier of our national legacy and above all a definer of our country's future. We have widened the playing field and general right of members to choose and be chosen through our democratic party internal processes as enshrined in the party constitution," he said adding that the party is determined to rebuild the country through resuscitating and modernising all sectors of the economy.
"A stone by stone approach built Jerusalem and as we launch the party's campaign and election manifesto, the party has taken bold decisions under my administration to implement a raft of measures aimed at creating a conducive environment for economic growth and development. We have taken steps to transform our economic model to that which is open and transparent and guided by the mantra Zimbabwe is open for business. This new model informed by sustainable development that is not isolationist. We need win-win partnerships and foreign investments," he said.
Mnangagwa said Zanu-PF will ensure that the Government continues with the robust re-engagement process with the international community through consolidating the relations with other countries.
The President said the revolutionary party is committed to improving the people's livelihoods and will attend and vitalise the social service sector and continue to prioritise affordable education, particularly to people in rural areas.
He said clinics and housing will also be addressed by the next Zanu-PF Government including the plight of women, youths and vulnerable groups.
The new administration has attracted $11 billion in foreign direct investment commitments in the past five months he said.
On water challenges, Government has since acquired 10 drilling rigs and so far five are already in the country. The rigs go as deep as 1000 metres from the surface.
Source - Chronicle
