President Mnangagwa last night said he was humbled by his election as Zanu PF President and First Secretary and the party’s sole candidate for President during next year’s harmonised elections.
The President said his election now allows him to continue to serve the party and country selflessly in his quest to achieve an empowered and prosperous upper middle income society by 2030.
“Allow me to express my profound gratitude to you all, my fellow comrades in Zanu PF who are gathered here at the 7th National People’s Congress, and the generality of the membership from across our mass party for unanimously electing me as the President and First Secretary of the revolutionary party Zanu PF,” said President Mnangagwa.
“May I further humbly acknowledge and accept the nomination by this august congress of the revolutionary party Zanu PF as the sole candidate for Presidential elections nextyear.
“I humbly accept. The election further emboldens and rekindles my commitment to servant leadership and selfless sacrifice to the party and the country as whole. I thank you wholeheartedly, ndinotenda, ngiyabonga.”
President Mnangagwa said everyone needed to remain committed to serving the party and the country selflessly, adding that a country is built and run by its owners.
He said for the last 60 years, he has been in the party serving it diligently and will continue on that path.
“Through this resolution of the congress, our party has spoken; the voice of the people is the voice of God.
“I will take this commitment with hard work and support all structures of our party to achieve the targets that lie ahead including securing a resounding victory in 2023,” said President Mnangagwa.
He also saluted all members of the party including those that are not attending the congress, and more importantly, First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa for the support she renders him.
The President called on the party to remain united, saying even founding fathers of the party would be happy with the unity.
In his congratulatory remarks, Zanu PF Second Secretary and national Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said: “On behalf of this elective congress, I wish to convey our hearty congratulations to you on your unanimous election and massive re-election by this congress as the President and First Secretary of the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (Zanu PF), and as our sole Presidential candidate in the forthcoming harmonised general elections in 2023.
“This successful congress was preceded by conferences of Leagues of our party starting with the Youth League, followed by the Women’s League and finally the War Veterans League. All these arms of our party were voicing their choice of you as the leader of our party and as our sole candidate in the coming elections. These nominations have been upheld by the congress. Congratulations Shumba Murambwi.”
Zanu PF Vice President Kembo Mohadi also congratulated the President and threw congress delegates into fits of laughter when he said he had sometimes passed jokes that he thinks he qualifies to be party President.
“But from what I have seen here, I don’t qualify and I withdraw. Your skills of transforming the economy are second to none.”
He also said if he had power, he would keep President Mnangagwa young so that the country and party continue to benefit from his wisdom.
Added VP Mohadi: “Democracy has its weaknesses as well; we lose the best because of democracy.”
The process that led to the announcement of President Mnangagwa as the congress’s choice for the party’s top job, and candidate for President in next year’s elections, was started by Zanu PF National Chair Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri.
She said the key task of the congress all the time, in line with party’s constitution, was the election of the President and First Secretary of Zanu PF.
The elected person automatically becomes the Presidential candidate in the next elections.
“I realise it’s just a process to formalise the resolutions that had already been declared by our organs, by our provinces,” she said, adding that the process of announcing is presided over by the Secretary for Administration, Dr Obert Mpofu.
Dr Mpofu said the party’s wings and structures had unanimously nominated President Mnangagwa as the President and First Secretary of Zanu PF and as the sole candidate for next year’s polls.
There were wild celebrations in the Harare International Conference Centre last night when Dr Mpofu announced the congress resolution of electing President Mnangagwa.
He was drowned by the noise as people ululated, while others danced and some stomped the ground.
The deejay also started playing the timeless track by Jah Prayzah, “Kutonga kwaro”, which was played almost all day when Zimbabweans marched in unison in November 2017 in support of Operation Restore Legacy.
The 7th Zanu PF National People’s Congress, which started Wednesday, ends today. – The Herald
