HARARE – In a carefully choreographed address ahead of ZANU-PF’s 22nd National People’s Conference, President Emmerson Mnangagwa urged party loyalists to intensify mobilisation efforts while defending his government’s record on stalled development projects.
Speaking at the party’s Third National Assembly, Mnangagwa framed the gathering as “critical to the existence of this constituency in the party,” casting war veterans and liberation-era supporters as the bedrock of ZANU-PF’s continued rule. He lauded their “grounded wisdom, leadership and guidance,” portraying them as guardians of nationalism and patriotism.
Mnangagwa highlighted the official theme—celebrating the courage and loyalty of liberation fighters—as “timely and inspiring,” while calling on the veterans’ league to “fully implement its duties and responsibilities” and to “remain alert and raise our consciousness in resolving challenges facing revolutionary movements.”
In a familiar refrain, the President invoked the ruling party’s slogan Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo (a nation is built by its own people) and urged members to bring “more and more people” into ZANU-PF ranks. “The Second Republic is committed to empowering you. I am also a war veteran, so if we don’t do it for ourselves, who will?” he declared.
Mnangagwa cited the Gwayi-Shangani and Kunzvi dam projects as evidence of government commitment to infrastructure, despite widespread public frustration over repeated delays and funding gaps. He pressed the veterans’ league to strengthen ties with the Ministry of War Veterans Affairs and other state departments, and to “work harder to win the hearts and minds of the people” as the party readies for its Manicaland conference.
Critics say the speech reflects a leadership anxious to shore up its liberation credentials while sidestepping deepening economic woes and growing calls for political reform. For the opposition and many ordinary citizens, the President’s rallying cry signals a party focused on consolidating power rather than addressing Zimbabwe’s pressing social and economic crises.
