VP Chiwenga Urges Unity and Empowerment in ZANU PF

Vice President and ZANU PF Second Secretary General (Rtd) Cde. Constantino Chiwenga spoke during the ruling party’s 22nd Annual National People’s Conference in Mutare on Friday, delivering a passionate address rooted in liberation history, national unity, and economic transformation.

Addressing thousands of party delegates and dignitaries, Cde Chiwenga underscored the significance of holding the conference in Manicaland, a region described as “sacred ground” in Zimbabwe’s liberation narrative. Mutare served as a key passageway during the liberation war, where many fighters crossed into Mozambique to join training camps such as Chimoio, Tembwe and Nyadzonia.

“Those camps were not just military outposts. They were altars of sacrifice where pain, courage, and faith fused into the spirit of liberation,” Cde Chiwenga said.

He called on Zimbabweans, especially within the party, to recommit to the founding values of the liberation struggle endurance, honesty, unity, and service warning that the sacrifices made by the country’s fallen heroes demanded integrity and accountability from today’s leaders.

The Vice President spoke of the immense hardships endured by liberation fighters, including disease, starvation, and aerial bombardments, and called on present-day leaders to uphold their legacy by building a just and prosperous society.

“Their blood demands integrity. Their voices cry out against corruption, laziness and moral decay,” he told the gathering.

The conference is being held under the theme “Attainment of Vision 2030 Through Economic Empowerment and Value Addition,” reflecting the government’s stated goal of transforming Zimbabwe into an upper-middle income economy by 2030.

Cde Chiwenga emphasized that economic empowerment must be broad-based and people-centered, warning against systems that enrich a few at the expense of the majority.

“Empowerment must be genuine  equipping all our people with the means to produce, innovate and own their destiny. That is the essence of Vision 2030 and revolutionary continuity,” he said.

He urged party members to view Vision 2030 not as a personal ambition but as a national covenant  one that must honor the sacrifices of heroes like the late General Josiah Magama Tongogara, who fought not for personal gain but for future generations.

The Vice President also reaffirmed the unbreakable bond between ZANU PF and the people, drawing parallels between the mass-driven liberation struggle and the need for collective ownership of national development.

“Every home was either a base, a place to eat, or where clothes were sewn; every family was part of the revolution. That bond between the Party and the people must remain unbroken.”

The conference was attended by senior party leaders, including the First Lady, Her Excellency Amai Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa; ZANU PF National Chairperson Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri; and the Party’s Secretary General, Cde Jacob Mudenda.

President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, who is also the ZANU PF First Secretary, delivered the keynote address during the course of the conference, setting out the government’s vision for economic stability, industrialisation, and national cohesion.

As the conference continues through the weekend, party officials are expected to deliberate on issues including grassroots empowerment, youth mobilisation, social service delivery, and the fight against corruption.