ZANU-PF makes key Poltburo appointments

Harare (New Ziana) – The ruling ZANU PF party on Wednesday made new appointments to its Politburo wing as part of broader preparations for this year’s general elections due mid-year.

Jorum Gumbo, a cabinet minister and senior member of the party, was appointed executive secretary in the Office of the President, while Obert Mpofu, until now the party’s secretary for administration, was appointed ZANU-PF secretary general.

Sydney Sekeramayi, a long serving senior member of the party, and former cabinet minister, was appointed head of the party’s Council of Elders, a newly created body.

Other members of the council appointed are Josiah Hungwe, David Parirenyatwa, Ednar Madzongwe, Maboyi Ncube and Angeline Masuku. Five other members would be named later.

Patrick Chinamasa, until now the party’s secretary for finance, was appointed Treasurer General.

Speaking after the party’s Politburo meeting on Wednesday, ZANU PF spokesman Christopher Mutsvangwa said the changes were meant to strengthen the party ahead of the elections.

“We do value institutional memory in ZANU PF, we don’t throw away our years of freedom, because the party needs it,” he said, referring to the creation of the Council of Elders.

“We were a scientific revolutionary party during the liberation struggle, and we followed the precedence of the Soviet Union and China on how to organize revolutionary parties and the position of the Secretary General of the party was quite key,” he added.

Mutsvangwa said Wednesday’s meeting also deliberated on registration of the party’s members as voters as elections draw close.

He said more and more people countrywide were being swayed to the party by various developmental projects being carried out by government.

These include establishment of irrigation schemes, and construction of health and educational facilities, among others.

“The figures (of party members who have registered to vote) we are getting from the exercise are very impressive, it is clear that the message of development which is going on all over the country has hit the right code with voters,” Mutsvangwa said.

He called on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), which administers the country’s electoral processes, to speed up registration of voters to ensure a smooth poll.

“We are now appealing to ZEC to rise to the occasion and increase their manpower because we don’t want them to become the bottleneck,” he said.

New Ziana