A United Zanu-PF is good for Zimbabwe

The recent statements by the First Lady, Dr Grace Mugabe, who is also Zanu-PF Secretary for Women Affairs, clarifying the issue of having a woman to be one of the party's Vice Presidents, is not only good for Zanu-PF, but for the country as well since the revolutionary party is currently  presiding over the affairs of the nation.

Addressing a Women's League National Assembly meeting recently held in Harare, Dr Grace Mugabe clarified that the proposed amendments to the Zanu-PF Constitution, to have a woman being one of the party's Vice Presidents, was being misinterpreted as a plot to oust one of the Vice Presidents.

"Your Excellence, just to put the record straight, our resolution was misunderstood and misinterpreted. The resolution was never meant to dispense with anyone. On this note I wish to assure ubaba uVice Presidents and Second Secretary Cdes Mnangagwa and Mpoko that you have our full support," said the First Lady while clarifying the Women's League position to President Mugabe during the recent meeting of the League National Assembly. Dr Grace Mugabe also said that the proposed amendment can only come into effect at the party's congress in 2019.

The party's Deputy Secretary for Women Affairs, Sandi-Moyo, further warned that party members who may be plotting the downfall of one of the Vice Presidents will face disciplinary action and also confirmed that the Women's League fully supported Vice Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mpoko.

This development obviously disappointed enemies of the party including some sections of the private media which published acres of space speculating that one of the Vice Presidents will be ousted at the party's 16th Annual National People's Conference scheduled for December in Masvingo. Enemies of the party were speculating that Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa will be removed from his post; hence, weakening the party and reducing its chances of winning the 2018 general elections. The clarification of the party's position on the Vice Presidents has left Zanu-PF's opponents very disappointed and clueless on how to further fuel divisions in the party. They have been now left clutching at straws as their malicious plans to destabilize Zanu-PF have been thrown into disarray.

The party's Secretary for Administration, Dr Ignatius Chombo, also clarified that the forthcoming conference is not elective but will focus on strengthening the party and strategize on how to solve the country's economic problems.

President Mugabe also called upon party members to unite and shun factionalism as well as to respect their leaders. "There is need to organize the party from cell, village, branch, district and provincial levels. We should genuinely unite the people under the banner of Zanu-PF. We should also undertake to fight factionalism, divisions, nepotism, tribalism and regionalism so as to grow the party", said the President.
Misguided party members, who have been denigrating the Vice Presidents in public, should take hid of President Mugabe's directive and stop their nefarious activities as they risk being kicked out of the party. Indiscipline can only serve to destroy the party from within.

Zanu-PF leaders should not waste time on frivolous issues associated with factionalism as they should be concentrating on proffering solutions to the country's economic challenges. The Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio- Economic Transformation (Zim-ASSET) can only be successful if the ruling party is not divided and when its leaders pull in one direction. A united Zanu-PF is good for all the country's citizens as it will concentrate on national governance issues.

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Chadzimura Mhute <chadzi.mhute@gmail.co