WATCH LIVE as Gambakwe Media speaks to Mr Kennedy Mandaza, ZANU PF Spokesman for South Africa province.
Mandaza said ZANU PF has unconditionally invited former G40 members to rejoin the party.
Please read the full interview below and watch the video above this post.
Gambakwe
Good evening and today I am joined by Mr Kennedy Mandaza, spokesman ZANU-PF South Africa.
Kennedy MandazaÂ
Good evening and thank you for inviting me.
Gambakwe
Today we want to have a quick discussion about an issue that has been in the press, and this is with regards to an invitation by Zanu PF to members of G40 to come back into Zanu PF. Have you seen this story in The Daily News and the Herald.
Kennedy Mandaza
Yes I have. It is true that ZANU-PF is unconditionally inviting G40 members as well as other Zimbabweans to join Zanu PF.
Gambakwe
What are the reasons behind this invitation?
Kennedy Mandaza
The invitation for G40 members and other Zimbabweans to join Zanu PF is consistent with what President Mnangagwa has been preaching since his inauguration as the President of Zimbabwe, on the 24th of November 2017.
He said, Let bygones be bygones.
He also said there is need for Zimbabweans to preach love and unity all the time.
Therefore, this call, or invitation, is an appreciation that every Zimbabwean has a role to play in the development of the country, and the growth of the economy.
Therefore the readmission of G40 members, if they so wish, into Zanu PF, unconditionally, is premised on this position that the President and the party has taken for some time.
Furthermore, Zanu PF is in the process of building a party membership of at least 5 million by 2023.
We are obliged to welcome all who want to join the party, to boost our membership base.
And besides, it is now common knowledge to many people that there is no other party in Zimbabwe, with the interest of the people, other than Zanu PF. That’s why we are calling on each and every individual, including G40 the members, to come back home.
Gambakwe
Let us go into a bit of detail. Some of the G 40 members have been very vocal in speaking against the new government of President ED Mnangagwa. How is that going to work. Are you going to allow them to continue speaking out, or they have to stop?
Kennedy Mandaza
Well, as you know, Zimbabweans have every democratic right to express what do they think about our government, including those G40 members who have been expressing their thoughts, or disgruntlement with the current leadership.
They are still being given this opportunity to come back to Zanu PF.
And they will begin to walk the same walk that many other people are now walking. They have been part of Zanu PF for some time.
They cannot, therefore, think that Zanu PF will not go ahead with programs that Zanu PF wishes to do, and continues to do for the generality of the people in Zimbabwe.
That’s why you have seen even people from the opposition MDC, they are coming in words to join Zanu PF. It is because they have seen that Zanu PF ‘s ideology, policies and programs are best for the people of Zimbabwe.
Gambakwe
In terms of criminal charges. We know that some of them are facing criminal charges in Zimbabwe. Is there going to be an amnesty for them?
Kennedy Mandaza
Well, criminal charges that are laid by the government and the police services.
Those are the people that have to deal with the issues that relates to crimes committed by anyone.
What ZANU-PF is doing, is calling people to come back to Zanu PF.
If people that wish to come back to Zanu PF have charges that they’re supposed to answer to, they need to answer to these charges.
If they do not have any cases, the police will clear them, but as a party, we have an obligation to call upon each and every Zimbabwean, including those members of the G40, who wish to come to join Zanu PF, to do so.
The issues that have to do with the criminality in this so on, these are dealt with by the responsible authorities.
Gambakwe
Okay I’m speaking specifically of those that have been reported for example to Interpol, will there be a re-thinking there?
Kennedy Mandaza
Like I’ve already indicated, ZANU PF as a party, has no jurisdiction to crimes that have been committed by people.
That is dealt with by the police.
And, if Zanu PF has not reported anybody to Interpol, it is the police that would have done that, and as a result, it is the police, that have the responsibility of making sure that people have been cleared.
Processes that have to do with the judiciary, those the processes are undertaken by the Judiciary.
Gambakwe
Okay, I do understand that. Now let’s go to the process. What process does someone take, if they want to come back to ZANU-PF?
Kennedy Mandaza.
If one wants to Rejoin Zanu PF, there is a process that you are going to follow, one of which is to fill in your application form.
As it has already been said by the Secretary for Administration, it is unconditionally.
The approval will be done by the responsible branch or province, or wherever an individual has applied.
What ZANU-PF has decided to do now, is to make sure that we strengthen the knowledge base of our membership.
Therefore, we will take the new members through a basic orientation program, so that the new members that are being readmitted understand the party ideology, policies and the programs, and also they are made aware of the manifesto, and the constitution of Zanu PF so that they are not found wanting at any given time.
Gambakwe
Okay, so someone fills in the form in their local province. And then what happens after that, is it automatic or is there going to be further processing.
Kennedy Mandaza
Like the Secretary General, has said clearly, there should be no further processes that will hinder the readmission of an individual if the individual expresses a willingness to join Zanu PF.
Therefore, once an individual shows that interest, and fills in their form, what is left is for their name to go into a database, upon payment of the membership fee which one is supposed to pay, you will then get your membership card.
That’s why the thrust is now on building a membership base, as opposed to a support base, because supporters come and go, but membership, they remain loyal to the organization to which they belong.
There are no strict processes that will hinder anybody to become a member of Zanu PF as said by the Secretary General.
Gambakwe
Okay, then let’s go on to contesting in positions in the party. Are these people who are in G 40 allowed to join, and then contest for positions.
Kenney Mandaza
Well what is very clear is that it is up to the structures, we start from the cell, and the individual joins the party and he admitted at the cell level.
He should therefore rise from cell, to branch level and as long as you have satisfied the requirements stated by the rules and regulations that will govern any election, at a later stage, then any individual is eligible to contest any election, but the there are guidelines that are set by the Central Committee when one wants to contest in the primaries for positions that might arise later.
Gambakwe
And this brings us to the topic of very prominent members, G40 kingpins. Are those going to be allowed back into their old positions, or what happens to very prominent people like very outspoken people like Prof Jonathan Moyo, who had joined the opposition.
Kennedy Mandaza
You don’t need to be outspoken in order for you to enter a position in Zanu PF. You need to go through these stages that one has to go through in order for one to qualify, and understandably, on the basis that you have been elected by the people, and also you have been elected by the structures from which you come from, so it does not necessarily mean that individuals that are so referred to be prominent that are to come back to Zanu PF, they will immediately go back to the positions where they were.
They are going to join is the party from the cell in the district, or village or from where they come from or location or township where they come from, and they will then rise from those structures, because they’re joining as ordinary members, they’re not joining as leaders of the party.
So, that is the position, everyone else is starting from a lower level, and you will rise in those structures, if they are voted by people to rise quickly, and the regulations allow it, so be it.
Gambakwe
Since most of them are based here in South Africa, have they approached you as ZANU PF South Africa to re-join the party.
Kennedy Mandaza
No. We haven’t received anybody who has approached us from the G40 people.
We hope that they’ve decided to take the route to go to the national office to make the necessary applications, and then the readmission will follow suit. But as of now. We haven’t received any in South Africa.
Gambakwe
But if they approach you here in South Africa, will you process them?
Kennedy Mandaza
We are accepting people from MDC from the old ZimPF, and so on. We have no reason to deny anybody, an opportunity to become a member of Zanu PF if they were to approach us here in South Africa.
Gambakwe
Thank you very much Mr. Kennedy Mandaza , I think the topic has been properly dealt with, and everyone now understands what to do if they want to go back into ZANU-PF from G40. Is there anything else you want to say before we close?
Kennedy Mandaza
Well, all what I want to say is that ZANU-PF is the best foot forward, each and every individual is welcome into Zanu PF.
In the words of the President Mnangagwa, Zanu PF ihomwe isingazare.
Therefore, we call upon all Zimbabweans to come on board and be part of the development agenda currently unfolding in the country, success is reloading, be part of it.
Gambakwe
Thank you very much Mr. Kenneth Mandaza, spokesperson for ZANU-PF PF South Africa, and I’m very happy to have you again after a long time. Thank you very much.
Kennedy Mandaza
And you’re most welcome.
