Zanu-PF bigwigs to fall from grace

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has said some Zanu-PF bigwigs must prepare for life as ordinary card-carrying members when he announces a new politburo.

Mnangagwa made the remarks as he officially opened the last politburo meeting before the Zanu-PF congress which starts today.

The current politburo will be dissolved during the congress, and Mnangagwa suggested that some officials will be shunted to the yet to be introduced council of elders which is seen as a "retirement home" for those made redundant.

"In whatever portfolios the party assigns us in the future, let us maintain the momentum we have demonstrated to date, while at the same time providing appropriate guidance to the lower structures of the party," Mnangagwa said.

"No matter our portfolios in the future, let us remain unflinching and consistent as loyal, patriotic and committed members of Zanu-PF emboldened by the fact that in our party, leaders at every level are servants of the people, as such the most important position in Zanu-PF is to be a card-carrying member.

"The enthusiasm which was shown across the party amply demonstrates that Zanu-PF is alive and remains the only true defender of that we fought for."

The congress ends on Saturday.

Mnangagwa is expected to balance loyalty and competence ahead of his 2023 re-election bid.

He has been on a whirlwind tour of the country, consolidating his power base, including turning to parallel structures running under economic development (ED) groupings.

Under article 8 of the Zanu-PF constitution, soon after the election of the president and first secretary and members of the central committee, the president shall appoint from the newly-elected central committee two vice-presidents and second secretaries, the national chairperson, heads of departments of the politburo, committee members of the politburo and deputies to heads of departments.

Mnangagwa also said results of the weekend by-elections where the party won five of the six contested rural district council seats in Manicaland, Matabeleland South and Mashonaland Central showed that the party was unstoppable.

"The results of the by-elections held over the weekend are a clear demonstration that Zanu-PF is unstoppable and a Zanu-PF victory is certain in the upcoming 2023 elections. The party is vibrant and alive and cannot be stopped," he boasted.

"Meanwhile the successful launch of the Teachers for Economic Development initiative must serve to inform our mobilisation strategies. I commend the School of Ideology for the inroads made in this initiative as we modernise and regenerate our colossal mass party."

Addressing the politburo before Mnangagwa's opening speech, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga said despite losing his five-year-old grandson, Yasha Mafidi Mnangagwa, who died on Sunday after suffering from respiratory complications, the President had given the congress the greenlight.

"We had a tragedy over the weekend; our President Emmerson Mnangagwa lost his grandson after he choked while having food. The President is quite disturbed and has taken courage that the congress shall proceed," Chiwenga said.