Zanu-PF invites Diaspora delegates for annual conference

The ruling Zanu-PF party has extended invitations to 20 delegates from its Diaspora districts to attend the upcoming National Annual People's Conference, scheduled to take place in Bulawayo later this month. Delegates representing party members from countries including Namibia, the United Kingdom, Malawi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ireland, South Africa, the United States, Botswana, China, and Mozambique have been selected for the event.

According to Zanu-PF National Political Commissar, Munyaradzi Machacha, only two delegates from each Diaspora district - the district chairperson and district commissar - are expected to attend. These districts are required to submit their resolutions and the names of their chosen representatives ahead of the conference.

The conference, which runs from October 22 to 27 at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair grounds in Bulawayo, is themed "Industrialise and Modernise Towards the Attainment of Vision 2030." It will focus on reviewing party policies and evaluating both successes and challenges in their implementation. Discussions will cover several key areas, including the state of the party and the economy, food security and nutrition, social services and poverty eradication, macroeconomic stability, re-engagement with the international community, infrastructure development, and value addition and beneficiation.

The revolutionary party, celebrating the recent re-election of its First Secretary and President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, and his appointment as Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), views this year's conference as an opportunity to assess its progress in achieving its goals.

Zanu-PF National Chairman, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, recently announced that this year's conference would feature a smaller number of delegates compared to previous gatherings. "We are happy to report that our agenda and programmes for the conference are in place," Muchinguri-Kashiri said. "It's not everyone who will attend. It will be the Politburo members, Central Committee members, National Consultative Assembly members, provincial executive members, and district co-ordinating committees. We avoided bringing all lower engines of the party as we used to do in the past because we also learnt best practices from other countries such as China."

The decision to reduce the number of attendees, according to Muchinguri-Kashiri, is aimed at promoting focused, robust engagement on refining party policies to align them with Zimbabwe's economic development goals, as outlined in the Vision 2030 strategy.

This annual event serves as a critical policy review platform where Zanu-PF will gauge its progress and adjust its strategies to ensure the continued growth and prosperity of the nation.