Why worry about Zanu PF conference

It has come as bolt from the blue that the MDC-T concerned itself about the Zanu PF's 15th National Annual People's Conference being held in the resort town of Victoria Falls as if it is an extension of the ruling party.

The MDC-T was given an acre of space in the Daily News of 9 December to throw up some hogwash that eventually exposed it as a confused political party. The party's spokesperson, Obert Gutu charged that the Zanu PF's Annual Conference is nothing more than a platform for the elite to wine and dine, while the masses wallow away in poverty.

"The ZANU PF Annual Conference in Victoria Falls this week, as usual, will be an occasion to feast, drink and dance. It's just another jamboree of obscene extravagance for the ruling elite amidst a sea of grinding poverty for the majority of Zimbabweans.  Nothing concrete or tangible will come out of this ZANU PF end-of-year Party," said Gutu. He went on to say that there was nothing to expect from the conference that would arrest the economic downturn.

It is disquieting that Gutu attempts to assume the duty of the revolutionary party's spokesperson. He has nothing to do with the way Zanu PF does its things. It is a tried and tested governing party that has taken this country to this height. If the MDC-T had wanted to assume the roles being played by Zanu PF, they must have won the 2013 election. Nobody prohibited it from winning the election, thus, they must just shut up. The electorate does not expect to hear a barrage of criticism from MDC-T but solutions that can lift the country from the economic quagmire it is in.

MDC-T's two-facedness is nauseating. They accuse Zanu PF of holding a conference to wine and dine while the majority continues to wallow in abject poverty. They forget that they recently bought $100 000 Mercedes Benz ML for Morgan Tsvangirai while its workers have gone for months without salaries.

Zanu PF has been having these annual rituals ever since Gutu and many of his colleagues were still small boys. It was through these conferences that Zanu PF always came up with policies that have been guiding the operations of the government. Such noble policies on education of which Gutu is an unappreciative beneficiary, were mulled at these conferences.

Gutu needs a bit of schooling on the modus operandi of the Zanu PF government for him to appreciate the import of the conference. Zanu PF conferences are a complete departure from those of the MDC-T, where chaos and violence are the order of the day. Zanu PF conferences mainly discuss bread and butter issues. For instance, this year's conference which runs under the theme ‘Consolidating People's power through Zim-Asset' attests to the commitment that Zanu PF has on improving the livelihood of the citizen.

The indaba, as the Zanu PF's spokesperson Cde Simon Khaya Moyo indicated, will be about finding strategies of improving the quality of people's lives. Zanu PF conference is trying to find best ways of implementing Zim-Asset.
 
Zanu PF is busy clearing the messy occasioned by the MDC-T. Probably Gutu was still a nonentity when his boss Morgan Tsvangirai and his lieutenants, most of whom he had parted ways with, called for the imposition of sanctions on Zimbabwe. It is these sanctions that have caused untold misery on the people of Zimbabwe. It is the upshots of the sanctions that Zanu PF expends most of its time trying to fix. Therefore, the MDC-T has no moral ground to blame Zanu PF for the economic quandary obtaining in the country.

It is not true that Zanu PF clueless on what should be done to arrest the economic hemorrhage. The MDC-T is panicking for it is increasingly becoming alive to the sanctions busting strategies Zanu PF is engaging. They know that these strategies are increasingly endearing Zanu PF to the electorate. They know too that 2018 is forthcoming and with the strides Zanu PF has taken to revive the economy, another embarrassing thumping is in the offing. Thus, they want as much as possible to throw spanners in Zanu PF's highway.

A couple of months prior to the conference, the MDC-T has been feeding the media with speculations designed to fuel antagonism within Zanu PF. There were stories about looming changes within the leadership. The public was also fed with lies regarding planned chaotic demonstrations. There were also allegations that civil servants were forced to contribute some money towards the indaba. The public was also told that the fundraising dinners were a complete flop. All these were proven to be utter lies.  

It is a downright lie that Zanu PF is clueless on how it can make the economy work again. There are myriad of economic achievements scored by Zanu PF government since the 2013 harmonized elections. An economic blueprint, the Zim-Asset was crafted to guide government in its endeavor to revive the economy. Great strides have been made in the implementation of the blueprint.

Guided by the blueprint, government invited Africa's richest man, Mr Aliko Dangote who showed interest to invest $4 billion in cement plant, power generation and mining. Delegates from the Dangote investments have been visiting the country to shore up the group's commitment to invest in Zimbabwe.

Chinese President Xi Jingin also paid an historic state visit that saw 12 deals worth $4billion put on paper plus a share of the $60 billion pledged to Africa. There are many other mega deals that came from China, Russia, Belarus, Brazil and many other friendly nations. Even the West itself has begun to warm up to Zimbabwe. Business delegations from France, Germany, the UK and the US have visited the country and indicated their interest to invest in the country. Italy is also to set up a car assembling plant in Zimbabwe.

How then can Mr Gutu say that Zanu PF is clueless? As an opposition party with a dream of ruling this country, they must proffer economic solutions rather than senselessly criticize the ruling government that is cleaning its (MDC-T) messy.