ZANU PF holds its Extraordinary Congress in a new dispensation with the revival of the Herbert Chitepo Ideological College firmly in the minds of those who have been steadfast in the defence of the party’s ideals.
Recent times witnessed the party deviating from its founding principles as some elements had made significant inroads in their quest to destroy the revolution.
ZANU PF as a party seeks to preserve and defend the national sovereignty and independence of Zimbabwe, to uphold and fully apply the rule of equality before the law and equality of opportunities for all the people in Zimbabwe, regardless of race, tribe, sex, religion or origin.
And, to establish and sustain a nation, firmly based on historical, cultural and social experience and create conditions for economic independence, prosperity and equitable distribution of the wealth of the nation.
It also seeks to continue to participate in the worldwide struggle for the complete eradication of imperialism, colonialism and all forms of racism.
The party also supports liberation movements in their struggle for self-determination and social justice.
ZANU PF Political Commissar, Cde Victor Matemadanda told The Patriot this week that, certain elements had almost managed to steal the party from the people.
Cde Matemadanda attributed this untenable situation to a chronic lack of ideological training, hence the need for a serious restructuring exercise and a swift return to intense orientation programmes.
“The ideological training is targeting everyone in leadership because some people do not know ZANU PF objectives,” said Cde Matemadanda.
“They do not know why the party took part in the liberation struggle and its achievement.
“Everything that we do as a party is centred on the theory of the struggle.”
The absence of basic knowledge of the party’s norms and values, said Cde Matemadanda, had resulted in serious divisions and mistrust among cadres.
“There was no clear party line, yet the party has a foundation and ways of doing things,” he said.
“Even the succession issue is clear in party politics.
“It should not be a problem because we have the war structure and we know it, and that knowledge is what made us clash with former President Robert Mugabe.”
Cde Matemadanda noted that it was time to correct the mistakes made by ZANU PF after independence through the introduction of ideological training and recruitment of political commissars.
“After independence, we had a very short period of turning the party into a mass party from the guerilla movement, hence the methods of recruitment were not properly applied because it was now a game of numbers,” said Cde Matemanda.
“After that, we were supposed to orientate members on the foundation and principles of the party.
“This process has been overlooked over the years, until it had gone out of hand and I can tell you that from 2014, under Saviour Kasukuwere, there has been no mobilisation programme that has been done.”
Cde Matemadanda added that the Commissariat Department had heeded President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s call to stop expulsions and suspensions, but focus on mobilising people and pushing the people’s agenda.
“A party that seeks to win an election should be able to resolve issues amicably and there should have disciplined cadres in terms of corruption,” said Cde Matemadanda.
“If ZANU PF deviates from pushing the people’s agenda it has lost direction.
“This is what we had witnessed in the past few years as ZANU PF had been hijacked by a clique which did not consult the people and was not sensitive to the people’s needs.
“You remember that nine provinces (out of 10) had a vote of no confidence in Kasukuwere but he was saved by one person (former first lady Grace Mugabe) who was not the centre of power, but became one by proxy.
“Thus, removing the basic tenets of the people, that is democratic centralism.”
The problems at grassroots level, said Cde Matemadanda, should follow proper channels to get to the top and the leadership should address those issues and the purpose of the restructuring exercise was to ensure that issues are addressed through inter-connectedness.
“The greatest structure of the party is the cell because the cell has everybody in it, so it means if we take care of the cell, then we know the national problems,” he said.
“And the leadership is there to address the problems.
“Once, ZANU is alienated from the people and belongs to a clique it is no longer a people’s party.”
Cde Matemadanda said the Commissariat department had proposed the theme ‘Taking the Party back to the People and the People back into the Party’ for the restructuring and election campaign exercise.
He added that the ideological training would commence soon and that the party should not be Harare centred, but spread decision-making to other provinces.
“There is need to ensure that there are 50 people in each cell and intact up to district level,” said Cde Matemadanda.
“If there are concrete structures on the ground, even campaigning will be easy and inter-connected.
“Even the Politburo and Central Committee members belong to the cell and should be in the cell register.”
The ZANU PF Secretary for Youth Affairs, Cde Pupurai Togarepi said as the Youth League, they were desperate for ideological training as the organ had been affected by infiltration which had led many youths astray.
“Ideology should be taught to the youths and even in the education curriculum so that values are indoctrinated to everyone,” he said.
“The Chitepo Ideological College is the best platform that will create ideological consciousness to our aspirations as a people and if people are aware of those they cannot be misled, bought and they will always question things that seem to attack their ideology.”
The Youth League, said Cde Togarepi, sought both party and Government to catch the young minds because once values are ingrained at a young age, they will endure.
He revealed that the Youth League would soon arrange a meeting with war veterans in order for the latter to pass on the revolutionary history and ideological indoctrination to the youths.