Zanu-PF sets congress dates

IN line with tradition and compliance with its constitution Zanu-PF will hold its 7th Congress from 26th to the 29th October.

This is contained in a circular released by the party's Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu, and which sets in motion the process that will be followed ahead of the congress.

Already, the revolutionary party has dispensed with the women and youth league elective conferences with the War Veterans League conference set for this month.

The Congress will be held at the Robert Mugabe Square in Harare and will draw delegates from the Central Committee members, National Consultative Assembly, Women's League national executive, Youth league executive members, National Council of the War Veterans League, provincial executive members, District Coordinating Committee executives and one district executive chairperson per party district drawn from either the Main body, Women's league, Youth league or War Veterans League.

The party constitution in Article 5, Section 25, states that the party shall convene an ordinary Congress once every five years.

While sub section 2, further provides that, "The Secretary for Administration shall, at least three months before the due date, send a notice of convening Congress to all members, which notice shall state the date and the venue".

The Zanu-PF party constitution in article 5 Section 23 provides that, there shall be a National People's Congress which shall be the supreme organ of the party.

The 7th National People's Congress, will elect the President and First Secretary of the party who will represent the party as the presidential candidate for the 2023 harmonised elections and elect Central Committee members among other issues.

According to the circular in terms of Article 5 Section 24 of the party constitution, the National People's Congress shall:- be the supreme policy- making organ of the party, elect the President and First Secretary, elect members of the Central Committee , formulate, pronounce and declare all policies of the party, formulate and issues directives, rules and regulations to all organs of the party, approve the financial statements of accounts, be the supreme and ultimate authority for the implementation  and supervision of the policies, directive, rules and regulations of the party, have the power and authority to amend the party constitution and consider resolutions submitted to the Secretary for Administration.

The party's director for information and Publicity Tafadzwa Mugwadi confirmed that the notification kickstart preparations for the congress.

"Unlike other mushrooming, moribund political formations, Zanu-PF is a revolutionary party with established practices, traditions, codified in the party's constitution and one such tradition is the National People's Congress," said Mugwadi.

The congress, Mugwadi said will give people through their party structures, an opportunity to chart the way forward ahead of next year's harmonised elections.

He said it will be a big bang platform for the party's sole presidential candidate President Mnangagwa.