Zanu PF plans unmasked

Politics
CIVIL servants bosses may soon have to report to Zanu PF provincial co-ordinating committees (PCC) in their respective provinces in a move clearly demonstrating the politicisation of public workers.

CIVIL servants bosses may soon have to report to Zanu PF provincial co-ordinating committees (PCC) in their respective provinces in a move clearly demonstrating the politicisation of public workers.

NDUDUZO TSHUMA STAFF REPORTER

Zanu PF politburo member Obert Mpofu told a party meeting in Lupane yesterday that this would ensure that the party was kept abreast of what is happening within government departments.

Mpofu said civil servants chiefs owed their positions to Zanu PF’s benevolence and there was nothing amiss with them presenting progress reports before the party.

“Heads of department should come and tell us how they work. We are the ruling party and those jobs come from us,” he said.

“It was difficult to direct them to do so during the unity government, but we are alone now.”

Mpofu, the Transport and Infrastructural Development minister, said when he was Matabeleland North governor and Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda was still provincial party chairman, he (Mpofu) would bring heads of departments to give updates on their work.

Legally, civil servants must be apolitical. However, the lines between public workers and Zanu PF have been blurred in recent times, with observers arguing that workers are appointed on party allegiance rather than merit.

Mpofu called for unity within party structures so the province regains lost seats from MDC-T.

He said it was embarrassing for him when they met with other leaders from other regions discussing about performance of provinces.

He warned that if they slackened, they would soon be compared to Bulawayo where Zanu PF has not won a single seat since the formation of the MDC in 1999.

“We might be number nine (according to performance as a province), but we will move towards number one,” he said.

“In Matabeleland South, they won resoundingly because the national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo put his foot down.

“If we do not do that we will be number last. Come to the party to promote the party and not individuals.

“There is confusion about Matabeleland North in the newspapers about which faction we belong to. There are no factions in Matabeleland North, we all belong to the party.”

Mpofu said confusion was started by lack of knowledge, urging party members to accept being corrected in instances where they are wrong.

Referring to the time he cried in Parliament following the election of Mudenda as Speaker Mpofu said: “I was so overwhelmed when it happened, I said God is in Matabeleland North.”

Mpofu has a reputation of fawning, having once signed off a letter to President Robert Mugabe as “Your Obedient Son”.

Meanwhile, fellow politburo member Cain Mathema raised concern over the use of “badala” (elders) during the PCC meeting, arguing that they were all equal as members of the provincial organ. Mathema, the Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs minister – who received support from politburo member Jonathan Moyo – suggested that the term “comrade” would suffice as “elders” suggested that there were children in party structures.

Mpofu, however, did not back down and received support from provincial party chairman Richard Moyo, the provincial commissar Martin Khumalo and central committee member Fati Mpofu, insisting that the term “elders” was meant to show respect of protocol within the structures.