AS ZANU PF supporters returned to their respective homes soon after the ZANU PF 15th Annual National People’s Conference on Saturday, there was overwhelming consensus among the 6 000 delegates at the gathering in Victoria Falls that this a party of unity, a party destined to rule for many years to come and a party that can never be divided or destroyed by machinations of those fiercely opposed to the country’s history.
Yes, the temperatures soared to record levels but, tempers, which were expected to flare, at least in the eyes of the so-called independent media were seemingly responding to the hot weather with coolness and calmness that must have stunned authors of the ‘blood-on-the-floor’ mantra.
Yet there was no blood but peace-on-the-floor.
And there was no escaping the disturbing fact that there are still remnants of those who have long plotted to oust its leader President Robert Mugabe, like the ousted Joice Mujuru cabal.
At Elephant Hills Hotel, the venue of the conference, one got the feeling of silly attempts by those opposed to ZANU PF’s ethos to thwart the liberation struggle agenda through their not-so hidden but nefarious agendas.
Yet the unity and peace at the conference took centre stage with efforts to propel the country’s economy topping the agenda.
These discussions on economic revival efforts were without doubt a marker that ZANU PF is well on course in maintaining its values and ideals as espoused by its liberation struggle objectives.
This conference was supposed to sound ZANU PF’s death knell as speculated by the private media.
But it was business as usual with delegates and perceived enemies mixing and mingling with relative ease that deflated the bludgeoning pre-conference hopes of the demise of the revolutionary party.
But then someone in the media, The Daily News to be precise, decided to draw the agenda for ZANU PF’s Conference.
According to that paper Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa was supposed to be demoted while First Lady Amai Dr Grace Mugabe was to assume the vice- presidency. This is the menace confronting ZANU PF.
Lies, lies and more lies!
Some officials within the ruling party are now said to be working in cahoots with the private media to destabilise the party.
Amai Dr Mugabe, a fortnight ago at her rally at Mushayavanhu Business Centre in Gutu said that officials within the party have resorted to feeding information to the media about ZANU PF.
Nathaniel Manheru, that prominent Herald columnist said it too that what the private reports about the party is information emanating from desperate party officials foolishly dreaming of annihilating ZANU PF.
That will surely come to an end very soon.
ZANU PF can never be swayed from the objectives of the liberation struggle by bigoted officials who are anti-liberation struggle and the people’s power.
ZANU PF as a people’s party, can never be run by errant newspapers whose mischief is wrought by idealess and anti-people officials whose inflated egos are the driving force behind the obliteration of this institution.
The Victoria Falls conference must have provided timely reminders that the unity of this party can never be compromised by small-minded officials.
“We have now reached the final stage of our meeting of the National People’s Conference. I have no doubt in my mind that this 15th National People’s Conference has been one of the most successful conferences we have had for a long time,” said President Mugabe in his closing remarks.
“This is so because of several factors. We have come to this meeting with great expectations; vamwe vachifunga kuti ah kucharwiwa uku; vamwe vachifunga kuti ah kune matsotsi akadyarwa; vamwe vachifunga kuti ah, kuchave nevamwe vachazochinjwa ikoko. So, taiva neshungu, nezvitarisiro nepfungwa dzakasiyana siyana.
“Zvese zvimwe zvaive zvimwe izvo. Zvimwe zvaive zviroto. Kumwe kwaive kuvhunduka, kutya, asi nhasi uno zviroto. Hapasisina kutya kwakapera. Tangova vanhu varikusekedzana, vanhu vari kufara.
“All of us have one mind now and I hope all of us are one heart also. All of us feel much confident; I am truly a member of a strong party and you should also be a member of the same party as myself. Ah, all of us are members of this party, smiling together, having one mind now to go and work hard for our party.”
With these words, the fate of those opposed to the success of ZANU PF was sealed.
Here is a party that will fulfill the aspirations of the majority.
Here is a party that has stood and still stands by the people.
Here is a party that represents the majority and their interests.
Here is a party that defines Zimbabwe’s past, present and future.
Surely a few officials within this party can never extinguish the flame of the past as seen by the ideals of the liberation struggle, the present as reflected by the Land Reform and Resettlement as well as ongoing Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Programmes and the future through defending the party and what it stands for.
Victoria Falls was just the tonic for the rebirth of Zanu PF.
Let those with ears listen.