In a move that has sparked debate and raised eyebrows across Zimbabwe, the ruling Zanu PF party has declared its Politburo members superior to government ministers, their deputies, and even permanent secretaries.
This bold pronouncement came from the Minister of Presidential Affairs in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Lovemore Matuke, who was on a familiarisation tour in Chinhoyi last Thursday.
Matuke’s statement was made in response to complaints of mistreatment and disrespectful conduct towards Zanu PF Politburo and Central Committee members, as well as war veterans, by government officials.
“Regrettably, we have been receiving several complaints from senior party leadership, particularly Politburo members and veterans of the liberation struggle, who would have been disrespected by government officials,” Matuke told the gathering.
“Let me put it on record that Politburo members are superior to government ministers, and for that reason, they should be accorded the respect they deserve.”
Matuke went on to reiterate Zanu PF’s supremacy over the government, stating that the government is merely a product of the party and exists to carry out its directives.
“In other words, the government is a product of the party and is given work to do by the party.”
This declaration has fuelled speculation about the power dynamics within Zimbabwe’s political landscape, with some interpreting it as a direct challenge to the authority of the government.
The statement comes at a time when President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Second Republic is pushing for accelerated infrastructure development. Matuke’s Ministry of Presidential Affairs was created to track the implementation of presidential policy declarations, pronouncements, directives, election manifesto pledges, and promises. It also monitors the utilisation of funds from the intergovernmental fiscal transfer system (IGFT).
Matuke emphasized the ministry’s crucial role in ensuring the attainment of Vision 2030, a national development plan aiming to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.
“We have to work round the clock if we are to achieve Vision 2030 two years ahead of schedule in 2028 as proclaimed by our visionary leader, His Excellency, the President Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa,” said Matuke.
“I am glad that as we started the year 2024, our ministry received its approved mandate, whose bulk of it entails working with Provincial Ministers of State and Devolution.
“The ministry provides continuous and timely advice to the Presidency concerning the state of affairs in all provinces. It is also mandated to monitor provincial economic development. This way, we ensure that party election manifestos as well as conference and congress resolutions are implemented.”
Matuke further stressed the importance of local authorities in driving provincial development, urging them to adhere to the recently launched IGFT Administrative Manual. This manual aims to guide local authorities on how to use devolution funds transparently and efficiently.
The implications of this declaration remain unclear, but it has undoubtedly stirred a wave of discussion and speculation within Zimbabwe. It raises questions about the balance of power between the party and the government, and the potential for friction between these entities.
