Maravi

(SUNDAY MAIL) Million new voters for Zanu-PF

Million new voters for Zanu-PF
Sunday, 02 December 2012 00:00
Sunday Mail Reporter

The Zanu-PF women's and youth leagues have registered more than 700 000 new members since the beginning of the year, drawing closer to their combined target of securing 2 million voters for the2013 harmonised elections. This comes as all is set for the 13th Zanu-PF Annual National People's Conference, which begins in Gweru this Tuesday.

Party women's affairs secretary Cde Oppah Muchinguri told The Sunday Mail last week that the Women's League secured a staggering 700 000 new members through a massive recruitment drive implemented over the past 11 months.

Figures for the new youth members were not readily available yesterday, but it is understood the Youth League is targeting one million young voters for the polls.



Cde Muchinguri said women were the backbone of the party and would help it win national elections.
"We now have at least 700 000 registered members of the Women's League; we are expecting to reach our target of 1 million members before next year's mother of all elections, which we are going to win resoundingly," she said.

"We are the backbone of the party. With 700 000 votes in the bag, we will never go wrong, come election time!"

Cde Muchinguri said the league was working hard to regain the ground Zanu-PF lost in the run-up to the 2008 harmonised elections. She implored fellow party members to desist from fanning divisions, saying factionalism would inhibit the party's chances of winning polls.
"As we approach elections, it is important for all members of the party to shun factionalism. It is a cancer that can destroy our party," she said.

"For those who have got an appetite for factionalism, please continue your factionalism after we have won elections next year. We are also saying our members should not abuse the party regalia. If you want to be violent or corrupt, do not use the party's name to pursue your selfish and destructive agenda."

She said plans are afoot to rebrand the wing. A new membership card will be unveiled soon, she added.

"We are moving with the times. Soon, we are going to have a new look. The way we are going to call for meetings and our regalia will be modern. We have also opened community banks in Mutoko, Mutasa and Gokwe, among other places. We are encouraging women to save money from their projects, among them bee-keeping and poultry."

Zanu-PF Youth League deputy secretary-general Cde Varaidzo Mupunga yesterday said her constituency is targeting 1 million new members before the elections. She said the conference provides a platform to map critical strategies for the party and country.

"We have set a target of one million new members for the Youth League. Although we are still consolidating the figures, it is clear that we have made significant headway."

Zanu-PF National Chairman Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday said the conference this week is crucial as it will set the tone for the 2013 elections. He said preparations for the event were progressing smoothly.

The conference agenda will focus on President Mugabe's keynote address while sector committee reports will deal with the performance of key areas such as the economy, social services as well as politics and mobilisation.

"It is certainly the last annual conference before elections. The preparations for the conference have gone extremely well. I chair the conference co-ordination committee which has met on several occasions to receive reports from various sub-committees. The Midlands provincial leadership has done sterling work and my committee's assessment, after visiting the conference venue twice, is that it is all systems go! Everyone has worked flat out to ensure that all roads lead to Gweru for the conference."

Cde Khaya Moyo said the theme of the event, "Indigenise, Empower, Develop and Create Employment", signifies Zanu-PF's people-centeredness.

"Zanu-PF is the only party in this country with policies and programmes that are people-centered. The conference theme testifies to that effect."

He said the need for unity within the party will also be tackled.

"Our party constitution has no provision for factionalism. Anyone who associates himself/herself with a faction must be aware that such conduct is a cardinal violation of the constitution and if proven, can lead to expulsion from the party. We have one President, Cde R.G Mugabe, with his Presidium and the Central Committee, all elected at Congress every 5 years. The President appoints the Politburo from Central Committee members."

Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), EMMERSON MNANGAGWA, ROBERT MUGABE, ZANU-PF

posted by MrK @ 5:22 PM