By Aldridge Dzvene
President and First Secretary of ZANU PF, His Excellency Cde. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, delivered a wide-ranging and resolute address at the Session of the National Consultative Assembly held on 4 July 2025, rallying party leaders to deepen grassroots mobilisation, accelerate socio-economic development, and defend the revolutionary legacy of the Party.
Coming on the back of successful meetings of the Politburo and the Central Committee earlier in the week, the address was a clarion call for action, unity, and renewed focus as the Party enters the second half of the year, one set to be punctuated by the launch of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and the 22nd National People’s Conference scheduled for Manicaland Province.
Opening his address with revolutionary greetings and remembrance for departed heroes such as the late Dr Joshua Nkomo and several recently interred national heroes, President Mnangagwa underscored the importance of remembering the foundational sacrifices that birthed the Republic. “We cherish the indelible footprints of the late Father Zimbabwe… on national unity, peace and the eternal importance of our land,” he said, urging delegates to uphold the ideological purity and mass mobilisation ethos bequeathed by Zimbabwe’s founding fathers.
Reinforcing ZANU PF’s role as a governing Party, the President emphasised the critical oversight role of the Assembly in ensuring alignment between Party policy and Government performance. He challenged members to be “vanguards of progress” in their communities, saying, “We must refuse to be distracted by sideshows and narratives that feed opportunists. The Party must remain focused on production, productivity, and people-centred transformation.”
President Mnangagwa reported significant progress across sectors under the Second Republic, pointing to ongoing rural industrialisation, a bumper agricultural harvest, expanded youth empowerment initiatives, and a wave of infrastructure development headlined by the completion of the iconic Trabablas Traffic Interchange. Roads under rehabilitation, including the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls Road, the Beitbridge–Bulawayo corridor, Murambinda–Birchenough, and others, were cited as symbols of devolution at work.
“In every province, district and ward, there is a ZANU PF project changing lives. We are building a future anchored on our own resources, ideas, and commitment. Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatigwa nevene vayo,” he declared.
Turning to economic matters, the President lauded the stabilising effects of the new gold-backed currency, ZiG, and the growing domestic and diaspora confidence in Zimbabwe’s trajectory. “Our people are investing in their own future. The confidence is visible, the economy is responding,” he said, while also reaffirming that macroeconomic stability remains a national priority.
On social services, he reassured delegates that the Government remains seized with revamping the health and education sectors. “The deterioration I witnessed during my tour of Harare’s public hospitals must never be repeated,” he cautioned, calling for deeper cooperation between Government ministries and communities.
The Head of State also used the platform to reiterate the role of Party discipline and constitutionalism, noting that the restructuring of lower-tier structures and verification of Party membership must be conducted transparently and in line with ZANU PF’s values. “There is no room for cliques. This is not a Party of personal interests, but of people’s development,” he warned.
Importantly, he commended the growing vibrancy of youth affiliates and called for the Chitepo School of Ideology to scale up cadre development across the board. “ZANU PF ihomwe inokwana vana vese vemuZimbabwe,” he stated, affirming that all loyal and patriotic Zimbabweans have a place within the Party.
In a move reflecting the decentralisation thrust of the Second Republic, President Mnangagwa announced that the 2026 Independence Day Celebrations will be hosted by Matabeleland South Province, further entrenching national unity and inclusivity.
He ended his address with a strong call to intensify mobilisation efforts, defend the gains of independence, and remain alert against destabilising forces. “Let us advance, defend, and promote the interests of our Party, communities and our nation as a whole. ZANU PF shall forever remain a people’s Party, by the people and for the people,” he said.
As the President’s remarks concluded, the tone for the remainder of the Party calendar was firmly set, one of development without distraction, unity without compromise, and loyalty without question.
