Zanu-PF takes lessons from China’s School of Ideology

Zanu-PF will take lessons from the Communist Party of China (CPC's) ideological schools to refine its mobilisation strategy as well as reinvigorate the party's Chitepo School of Ideology, the ruling party's chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has said.

She made the remarks after touring the CPC's Party Ideological School in Shandong Province yesterday. Established in Shandong, which is home to some of China's greatest philosophers and strategists including Confucius and San Tzu, the CPC School of ideology is one of the main think tanks for the world's second largest economy.

Speaking during a dialogue with executive Vice President of the School Mr Xu Wen, Muchinguri-Kashiri said she was enamoured by the institution's operations.

"We came to learn because we are still relatively new as an administration and we want to constantly improve ourselves.

"We believe that by learning from the CPC we can deliver to the needs and aspirations of our people.

"This school is very well organised and we want to emulate what you are doing so that we can strengthen our cadres through ideological enrichment.

"The objective of our visit is look at the relationship between the party and Government, if we talk about the supremacy of the party against Government what powers should the party have."

She said by refining its ideological apparatus, Zanu-PF will be able to craft more strategies to develop the country in line with the 2030 vision for an upper middle income economy.

"We are really convinced, after learning from what you are doing at your school, that the ideology, the vision carried by the Head of State is important in holding the party afloat.

"If we mobilise our cadres around ideology we will never lose the objectives."

Muchinguri-Kashiri said China's remarkable transformation over the past four decades remains an inspiration for Zimbabwe to turnaround its economy.

"Our President was here in the 1960s. "In the 1980s China was not developed as it is today. Within the shortest time of less than 40 years, you made yourself the world's emerging giant economy.

"Our President is also saying that he wants to address the economic challenges that our country is facing by partnering China and creating jobs." Mr Xu said the Shandong School of Ideology was established in 1938. He said in the past the school of ideology used to be "a secret open, but is now an open weapon" that trains cadres.

Muchinguri-Kashiri was accompanied by a delegation of senior Zanu-PF officials that include national political commissar Lieutenant General (Retired) Dr Engelbert Rugeje, Simbarashe Munbengegwi (secretary for External Affairs), Mable Chinomona (secretary for Women's Leagaue), Paul Mangwana (secretary for Legal Affairs), Lovemore Matuke (secretary for Security), Pupurai Togarepi (secretary for Youth Affairs), Munyaradzi Machacha (Principal of the Chitepo Ideological College), Douglas Mahiya (deputy secretary for War Veterans).

The delegation also comprised Women's League National Political Commissar Apolonia Munzerengi, Tsitsi Gezi (Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly) and Tsitsi Muzenda (Politburo member) and one of the directors of Chitepo School of Ideology, Colonel Resten Magumise (Retired).