Mugabe undresses Mutasa, Shamu at the women's conference

President Robert Mugabe last night lambasted Zanu-PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa and political commissar Webster Shamu, saying they had failed to properly organise the party.

Closing the women's conference last night, Mugabe said so disorganised was the party it could not account for its structures, let alone employees. He said he was disgusted by the failure to raise funds to finance party business.

"Our party, as we are looking at the organisational side, we don't have statistics of our organic structures," Mugabe said.

"Hatina chokwadi chokuti province ne province inevanhu vakaorganizwa…Vanhu vanouya kuzopinda basa ikoko kuparty headquarters, hakuna order yokuti ndianani, hakuna anozikanwa kuti anopinza vanhu basa, uyu anopinza, uyu achiita zvake. Ingave party iyoyo? Kunokumbwa nevanhu vanonzi vaicritisiser leadership, sure imi? In other words, administration yedu haisati yanaka, (We not sure if we have organised structures in provinces.

There is no order at party headquarters in the hiring of staff. There is a lot of individualism. Can that be a party? They employ even people who were criticising the leadership. In other words, our administration is in shambles)" the president said.

The women's conference, which was held under the theme ZimAsset, Leading Women to Empowerment and Employment, saw Mugabe being endorsed as the party's presidential candidate for the 2018 harmonised elections and his wife, Grace, being nominated to lead the women's league after the December elective congress.

Mugabe said the department for administration was failing to deliver, just like the department of commissariat, as the party structures were in shambles.

The president questioned why the party was broke and continuously borrowed from banks when Zanu-PF had investments in several companies across sectors throughout the country.

Mugabe thanked the women's league for conducting their conference in an orderly manner unlike the youth league's which was  characterised by voting-buying and massive rigging. He said the party should copy from the women's wing.

The women's league did not vote for the top leradership, they agreed to share posts according to provinces, resulting in Bulawayo's Eunice Sandi Moyo retaining her position as the deputy secretary, while Midlands got the secretary for administration which went to a Nhari.

Sarah Mahoka from Mashonaland West province was elected treasurer, while Olivia Muchena of Mashonaland East landed the commissariat post.

Politburo member Flora Buka read the resolutions of the conference that endorsed Mugabe and his wife. After the endorsements, delegates erupted into song and dance shouting ‘Mugabe for 2018'.

Speaking at the close of congress last night, Grace thanked the women's league for having confidence in her, promising that as she was still new in politics, she would learn and be guided by her predecessors.

"As I stand here, I feel overwhelmed by the support you have given me and would  want to personally express my gratitude for endorsing me as the sole candidate to become secretary of women's league. Although it is yet to be confirmed, it is  a step that has been taken by the women and the youth and I am sure when the time comes, those in power will appoint me accordingly," she said.The women's league also resolved that the government revives the National Youth Service and the Chitepo Ideological College so that Zimbabweans would have an opportunity to learn about the country's history, culture and the values of patriotism, peace and unity.

The wing urged the government to continue with its women empowerment programmes such as giving more women land and empowering them through training and capacity building programmes so that they adopt the necessary agriculture and value-addition technology for their socio-economic upliftment.

On reproductive health, the women's league called for the removal of maternal fees as well as import duty on all sanitary ware and equipment used in the production of the sanitary ware.