Sunday, November 12, 2017

ZANU-PF Party Elects New Central Committee Members
KUDA BWITITI
Zimbabwe Sunday Mail

Zanu-PF has directed provincial structures to hold Central Committee elections this week as the ruling party gears up for its December 12-17, 2017 Extraordinary Congress at Harare’s Robert Mugabe Square.

All provinces have up to November 17 to submit the names of who will represent them in the 300-member Central Committee.

The Central Committee constituted ahead of Zanu-PF’s 2014 Ordinary Congress has effectively been dissolved.

Zanu-PF’s constitution says the Central Committee is the party’s principal organ between congresses.

The Central Committee consists of a Presidium; 94 members allocated to provinces according to results of the last election; 100 members allocated equally to all provinces; the Secretary for the Women’s League; the Secretary for Youth Affairs, 20 Women’s League representatives nominated by the organ; 20 Youth League representatives nominated by the organ; 10 members nominated by President Mugabe and 50 as part of the women’s quota.

In a circular to party members, and availed to The Sunday Mail by party spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday, National Secretary for Administration Dr Ignatius Chombo said provinces should immediately hold Central Committee electoins.

“Sitting at its 313th Ordinary Session, the Politburo resolved that the 300 positions stipulated under Article 7, Section 35 of the party constitution shall be filled through an electoral process, which should be carried out before the Extraordinary Congress in December, 2017.

“The election process should commence with immediate effect, and should be completed by Friday, 17 November 2017, and submitted to the Secretary for Administration on Sunday, 19th November 2017,” reads the circular.

Dr Chombo said Mashonaland Central would get 34 seats; Mashonaland East 33; Masvingo 32; Manicaland, Midlands and Mashonaland West 31 each; Harare 27; Matabeleland North 23; Matabeleland South 22; and Bulawayo 20.

In an interview, Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo said provinces would get polling guidelines.

“I am sure any time from now, these guidelines will be made available to the relevant party structures so that they conduct the elections in an appropriate manner,” he said.

Ambassador Khaya Moyo went on: “It’s an issue that we deliberated on extensively during the Politburo meeting. The Central Committee elections are an important step ahead of the Congress which we are going to hold from 12 to 17 December. It is compulsory for the Central Committee to meet before the Extraordinary Congress.”

Section 29 of zZanu-PF’s constitution reads, in part, “The Central Committee shall formulate the necessary procedures for the execution of the business of the extraordinary session of the Congress.”

As such, it mut be constituted prior to the indaba.

The powers and functions of the Central Committee include: to make rules, regulations and procedures to govern the conduct of the party and its members; implement all policies, resolutions, directives decisions and programmes enunciated by Congress; and give direction, supervise and superintend Government.

The Central Committee meets once every three months (ordinary session) or at any time in special or extraordinary sessions.

It can also amend the party constitution, subject to ratification by a congress.

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