(Last Updated on November 2, 2014 by Editor)
HARARE – More than US$1 million was raised at a Zanu PF fundraising dinner held Friday night towards the holding of the party’s 6th national people’s congress.
Preparations for the holding of the party’s 6th national people’s congress in Harare from December 2 to 7 this year are at an advanced stage with the fundraising dinner being oversubscribed.
Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru, who was guest of honour at the fundraising dinner, said Zanu PF is ready to ensure the congress is a success.
“We have raised US$1 million and we are on course to meet our targets,” said Dr Mujuru.
The commitment from the corporate world by taking part in the fundraising dinner is an indication that local firms want the congress to come up with policies to increase business confidence, noted Zanu PF national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo.
Didymus Mutasa, the Zanu PF secretary for administration, on Friday showered Vice President Joice Mujuru with praises, saying he could tell from way back in the liberation struggle that she was destined for greater things.
Mutasa made the remarks during a fundraising dinner for the party’s December congress held at a local hotel.
Addressing corporate executives as the chairman of the fundraising committee, Mutasa had the delegates eating out of the palm of his hands, leaving most of them in stitches for most of the time.
Looking relaxed and composed, Mutasa said Mujuru had leadership credentials.
He chronicled how he met Mujuru during the liberation struggle.
“I met Mai Mujuru a long time ago in 1977 when she was a very young girl. I said to myself, ‘Oh, this young girl’,” said Mutasa, drawing laughter from invited guests.
“What are you laughing at? What you are thinking is not what I wanted to say,” he clarified.
“I saw her before she was married and I saw her getting married. She led the women’s league and I said ‘Can a young girl lead the women league?’. That is what I wanted to say before you all laughed. She did an excellent job and it was at that time that I realised that she had leadership qualities.
“As such, I was not surprised in 2004 when Baba Mugabe appointed her vice president because she had the capabilities of becoming one. The president saw that she had intrinsic qualities of becoming a vice president.”
From there on, Mutasa said enough funds must be raised for the congress because at the youth and women congress, president Robert Mugabe attacked him for lack of resources.
“Today is our day,” he said. “We would like to raise adequate money for the Zanu PF 6th people’s congress. As you know, for the youth and women congresses or conferences, we didn’t raise enough funds. And you all remember how I was attacked and embarrassed for that,” Mutasa said amid laughter.
“I don’t want to get insults again and we should work tirelessly to raise adequate money.”
Before his address, Mutasa chanted the “Pamberi neZanu PF slogan” and when it came to the “pasi” (down with) part, he deliberately was slow to finish, causing the corporate executives to burst into laughter.
After a while, Mutasa then said, “Pasi neMDC.”
Mujuru, who was immaculately dressed in a silver habiliment, told corporate executives that the banquet had raised over $1 million.
“Today, before we came here, we said we wanted to raise at least $200 000 but l was shocked to gather that we have raised more than $1 million,” she said.
“We want to be fully-prepared for the congress. We don’t want what happened at the youth and women conferences where we had to go to our farms to look for food to feed the delegates.”
The vice president said the December congress will formulate new policies that will guide the government.
“We are not going only to elect new leadership but we will also be discussing our country and how it should be run in terms of the economics, politics, social and otherwise,” she said.
“A lot of policies will be originated from the discussion during the congress. Whatever will come out of the congress will not only benefit Zanu PF members but everyone.”
Mujuru said that her party is seized with resuscitating industries as their demise has allowed for the influx of cheap imports.
“As a party, we are working, through the Industry ministry, on how to change the obsolete machinery in industries because the market is now flooded with cheap imports. If you go to Bulawayo it’s not pleasing at all. Bulawayo is now a ghost town. It is very sad,” Mujuru said.
The vice president praised Zimbabweans for their tenacity and resilience.
“One thing I admire about Zimbabweans is that they are hardworking and resilient,” she said.
“This is a rare gift. Some countries suffer and yet they have land, good rains and there are no sanctions. But us here, with all the difficulties, we are still making progress.”
Other guests who attended the function that was punctuated by pomp, funfare and splendor were Zanu PF chairman Simon Khaya Moyo, Labour minister Nicholas Goche, Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo, deputy minister of Energy Munacho Mutezo, minister of State for Harare Province, Miriam Chikukwa, Zanu PF Harare provincial chairman Amos Midzi and Zanu PF deputy secretary for finance, Charles Tavengwa.
After the dinner around 22:30pm, just before they left, Mujuru, Mutasa, Khaya Moyo, Gumbo and Goche took to the stage and danced as the police band serenaded the delegates with music.