BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA
ZANU PF has set December 7 as the date for this year’s annual conference, with preparations already in full swing for the mega event to be held at Goromonzi High School in Mashonaland East province.
The date, which is subject to change, was revealed by the technical team led by officials from the Public Works ministry, who visited the venue last week, saying the conference would run from December 7 to 15.
Meanwhile, the shift in the conference venue has created rifts among Zanu PF member in Mashonaland East province, with reports that some are against the idea of the event being held in Goromonzi.
NewsDay is reliably informed that party members in Seke, who were initially supposed to host the conference before it was moved to Goromonzi High School, are seething with anger, accusing party leadership of sabotage and double-dipping.
The party’s mega gathering was initially pencilled for Murape Secondary School in Seke before party leaders, led by national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri and director for administration Dickson Dzora, condemned it due to lack of space for security agents.
The conference was then moved to Mandedza High School before it was condemned again due to overhead electricity cables that cut across the school.
A top provincial executive member, who declined to be named, said the event had left the province divided, with some against Goromonzi district hosting it for the second time.
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“There is tension in the province over the issue of the conference venue. The people of Seke are not happy and there is need to address them so that they heal. They had already moved on with preparations, while a number of roads and other infrastructure had been targeted for upliftment. Moreover, the conference has been moved to Goromonzi and this means that the district would have hosted the conference twice. We have nine districts in the province and why Goromonzi alone?” the official querried.
Zanu PF provincial chairperson Joel Biggie Matiza said the move to Goromonzi was triggered by budget constraints, with the new venue already having the required infrastructure.
Zanu PF is reportedly expected to spend at least $3 million for this year’s conference.
Seke legislator Munyaradzi Kashambe (Zanu PF), who was on the forefront in mobilising for the conference, said he supported party leadership’s position.
“I do not have much to say. We are fully behind our leaders’ decision and we will make sure that the conference is going to be a success. We are loyal members of the party, hence we want what is best for the party,” he said.
