国际英语新闻:Zimbabwe ruling party conference endorses Mnangagwa for 2023 elections

HARARE, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- The 17th ZANU-PF annual national people's conference ended in Esigodini, Matabeleland South Province on Saturday, with all Provinces endorsing President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the party's sole candidate for the next elections due in 2023.

The conference was being held under the theme "Zimbabwe Is Open for Business: Peace, unity towards an Upper Middle-Income Economy by 2030." Reading out the resolutions, Politburo member Jacob Mudenda said the party would start restructuring next year in preparation for the next elections.

"All wings re-affirmed that first secretary of the party comrade Mnangagwa be the sole candidate of the party in the 2023 harmonised elections," he said to wild applause.

Other resolutions passed included developing creative and relevant mobilisation strategies to attract the youth to join the party as well as youth organisations and associations and other affiliate groups who associate with ZANU-PF.

All party members are also expected to be knowledgeable about the provisions of the party constitution and adhere to it.

"(The conference also resolved) that the party put in place penalties for perpetrators of factionalism, tribalism, regionalism and similar vices that seek to advance the individual at the expense of the unity of the party," he said.

On the economic front, the conference resolved that the government should adopt and implement zero tolerance to corruption and that the annual national people's conference be held before the national budget presentation, usually done in November, in order to allow the party to have some input into the budget process.

The conference also recommended that government monitors the implementation of vision 2030 periodically and immediately creates an enabling environment for investment.

The delegates further implored government to review the current taxation system to make it less punitive.

In a brief address to the delegates, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said the conference had been fruitful.

"We have met, discussed and formulated far reaching resolutions for our country for the year about to begin. I am sure all of you do agree that thanks to the excellent organisation by our host province of Matabeleland South we have had a very fruitful and emphatic end of year," he said.