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Few delegates for Zanu PF conference

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By SIMBARASHE SITHOLE THE Zanu PF national conference set to be held in Mashonaland Central province in December will be attended by a few delegates in line with COVID-19 guidelines, a party official has said.

By SIMBARASHE SITHOLE

THE Zanu PF national conference set to be held in Mashonaland Central province in December will be attended by a few delegates in line with COVID-19 guidelines, a party official has said.

The party’s director for administration Dickson Dzora on Wednesday visited the provincial capital, Bindura, to assess potential venues of the province.

He said delegates would be reduced from their usual 7 000 to 9 000 as was in the past years. He, however, refused to disclose the actual number of delegates to attend the annual jamboree.

“There are major decisions to be made, one of which is the number of delegates under COVID-19, the conference is normally attended by 7 000 to 9 000 delegates, but the provincial leadership is expected to make recommendations on how the figures should be cut in light of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dzora said.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has relaxed COVID-19 restrictions after a decline in infections. Mnangagwa’s deputy, Constantino Chiwenga, who is also Health minister, has suspended the holding of by-elections citing COVID-19, but Zanu PF has gone ahead with primary elections in some constituencies.

Mnangagwa himself has been moving around the country where his gatherings remain highly attended during the COVID-19.

The host province is busy with preparations for district co-ordinating committee elections which have caused rifts in the party as candidates canvas for support for positions.

The competition is mainly on the chairmanship of the province between the incumbent Kazembe Kazembe and businessman James Makamba.

The duo has candidates in all the districts also fighting for power along factional lines.

Dzora said accreditation of delegates to the annual conference, which normally begins on October 1, was already behind time.

Kazembe said the province was excited in hosting the conference and was more than ready to host it.

“We are very excited in hosting the conference and we cannot wait any longer,” he said.