’Don’t dictate to Zanu PF if you are not part of it’ — says Mutsvangwa

ZANU PF is a membership-driven political formation, which brooks no counsel from non-members bent on dictating who should succeed President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a senior party official has said.

The party’s Information secretary Christopher Mutsvangwa told the media this week that the upcoming party conference, to be held in Manicaland from October 13 to 18, will focus more on the country’s economy than succession issues.

“However, that is not the biggest thing the party will be interested in. The biggest thing is the economic issues and improving general welfare of Zimbabweans.

“The performance of the economy is important because this creates the bond upon which Zanu PF continues to rule. It promised Zimbabweans of freedom, an army to defend themselves, independence, national consolidation and preservation of that independence, it promised people a modern economy and it is giving them.

“It promised people their own national currency, it has given them. It has promised people more regional integration with our neighbours, it is giving them. This is the record which Zanu PF stands upon and not the cupping by detractors from left, right centre,” Mutsvangwa said.

He explained that Zanu PF wanted to tick every box of the previous year and see how far the government had gone in achieving those benchmarks during the Manicaland indaba.

He commended the people of Manicaland whom he said, played a big role in terms of training the guerrillas during the liberation war.

He, however, blasted those outside Zanu PF for trying to bring in trivial succession issues due to their hatred of party First Secretary and President.

He alluded to party resolutions which were passed in Bulawayo in the previous conference where a resolution for President Mnangagwa to go beyond 2028 up to 2030 was passed amongst several others.

“We are in the season of our conference. The dates are October 13 to 18, 2025. We are hardly two months away from the party conference.

“This is an important event on the calendar of the party. The last one was held in Bulawayo.

“Resolutions were passed including the one on 2030 and the President being the candidate for 2030. I know the President has said he is a constitutionalist; he is not prepared to go beyond 2028 when his constitutional mandate ends.

“So, this is what will be decided at the party conference, leadership of the party and the future of the party. We are only two years away from the big party conference (Congress) where party leadership issues are going to be resolved,” Mutsvangwa said.

Further, the Zanu PF Information secretary said it was democratic for people in the party to decide for him.

He casticated those wishing to see him go at the end of his constitutional mandate telling them off.

“If you see a President who is performing so well. Some people are so excited about his performance and are saying the Constitution may say one thing, but the Constitution is a product of the people.

“We would like you to continue and if it means that, we look at our Constitution to so facilitate. It is their democratic dispensation and volution to think like that and there is absolutely nothing wrong for them to think like that,” Mutsvangwa highlighted.

He continued, “So for people to continue to make an issue about it to say, should people think somebody whom they like should continue in power. Not it’s misplaced. You can also have your opinion why he shouldn’t continue.

“You keep your opinion but you are not a member of Zanu PF. If you are a member of Zanu PF, you can profer your views at the conference.

“If you have your views and you are not a member of Zanu PF, you are not part of the club, so do not try dictate whilst outside the party, join the party and you can come to the conference with your views as a member and try to canvas your views with membership,” added Mutsvangwa.

Musvangwa reminded those joining the party to abide by its Constitution.

“Make sure that if you join the club and proffer your views, you will also be ready to accept the outcome of the majority in the party, should your views not carry the day.

“Zanu PF is a democratic party. People have their views, and they give them in their resolutions and express them. The consummation of those ideas is another issue. It takes two; those who are advocating and those whose advocacy is targeted at, i.e. the President.

“Those are the people who matter in this debate. Anybody else, is by and large, irrelevant.”

He revealed that.for a long time, some people did not want President Mnangagwa to be the President of the party.

“For a long time, they did not want him to be the leader of the party. For a long time after he became the President of the country and leader of the party, they wanted to remove him. That is why sanctions were kept, that is why there has been a persistent debate about succession, not to state that the man is too busy running a modern economy.

“That is where the attention should be but, those who are detractors cannot get out of their mindset that he should be out of power. Zanu PF is too busy modernising Zimbabwe and we members are too busy appreciating the leadership which is there.”