What ZANU said in 1972

“ZANU policy seeks to unite all Zimbabwe’s people behind a clearly defined objective and not an individual. Policy takes precedence over personality. In 1963 confusion over policy and the personality cult of Nkomo contributed to the split between ZANU and ZAPU (the Zimbabwe African People’s Union). ZANU condemns utterly tendencies of tribalism, sectionalism and regionalism, as well as the personality cult prevalent among certain personalities and parochial organisations in Zimbabwe. ZANU was organised publicly in Zimbabwe for only one full year before it was banned by the settler regime on 26 August 1964. Although short of money and the means of transporting organisers and its leaders constantly harassed and detained without trial, in tat one year it penetrated all parts of the country, mobilised mass support and started underground work to challenge the impending settler unilateral declaration of independence and assert the African claim for real national independence. In the last six years ZANU has been transformed from a nationalist political party into a revolutionary movement with a growing military and paramilitary wing to spearhead the revolution. ZANU military cadres seek the maximum participation and involvement of the masses of our people in every phase of “Chimurenga”. Their role is to guide and encourage and to be true friends of the people. The freedom fighter must go in and out of every village with ease in the knowledge that he is among comrades-in-arms and with the self-confidence of a man whose good actions speak louder than his words.

Leadership

“A committed and dedicated leadership is an important requirement in a revolutionary party. Leadership must spring from the workers and peasants themselves and those intellectuals fully committed to the task of national liberation, independence and reconstruction. The leadership must work on the basis of a clear set of principles and for clearly stated goals. It should lead and guide the people towards the attainment of these goals without fear or favour; it should show by good example the good living sought in a socialist society

The leadership must show integrity, honesty and dedication all the time. From it must flow love of the fatherland and a clear design of the new society. Corruption of any kind betrays the revolution and must be punished. The leadership is answerable for all its actions to the masses of the people through the institutions of the Party. Any differences of opinion over policy and administration must be placed before the representative and responsible organs of the Party for their consideration and decision. The leadership shall have full executive authority for the smooth running of the Party and the prosecution of the revolution. ZANU insists on collective leadership and collective responsibility among and between those elected to office. However, the supreme legislative authority shall rest in the masses of the people who are members of the Party. Usurpation of the powers of the people will not be permitted.

Role of the party

We must repeat that the Party is the vanguard of the revolution. It is the supreme authority whose every decision and objective has to be carried out by the various organs in the revolution. The Party may:

a. formulate policy and prepare programmes for action;

b. maintain and enforce a clear revolutionary outlook;

c. promote, guide and safeguard the integrity of the revolution;

d. discipline all offenders after a full investigation;

e. plan general strategy for the attainment of declared objectives;

f. foster political education and raise national consciousness;

g. coordinate activities with progressive movements elsewhere;

h. apply scientific socialism and Marxism-Leninism to the objective and subjective conditions in Zimbabwe.

“The supreme authority of ZANU remains in the Central Committee, the majority of whom are in the regime’s prisons and detention camps in Zimbabwe. After 1965 (unilateral declaration of independence) those members of the Central Committee who were outside Zimbabwe established an external central authority of the Party to carry on the task of revolution and to challenge UDI through “Chimurenga”. A revolutionary council was created and it spearheaded “Chimurenga” from the battle at Sinoia on 29 April 1966 to this day. Several heroic battles have been fought and brilliant victories won. Many plans for tactics and strategy have been made. On the whole, groundwork has been firmly laid for forging ahead with the struggle.”