Constitution of the Zimbabwe Communist Party
CONSTITUTION
As agreed at the ZCP Founding Conference 28th April 2017
1) NAME
The name of the organization shall be the Zimbabwe Communist Party, hitherto referred to in this document as the ZCP or ‘The Party’.
2) PURPOSE
2.1)The purpose of the Zimbabwe Communist Party is to build in Zimbabwe a Leninist Vanguard Party of the Working-Class and Peasantry and to lead these two classes together with the stratum of Revolutionary Intellectuals to capture state power and to build the a National Democratic Economy in Zimbabwe as a transitional stage towards the building of Socialism and Communism. 2.1.1) As Revolutionary Nationalists, we understand the importance of National Unity regardless of ethnic origin but mindful of the diversity of the Zimbabwean people. Revolutionary Nationalism linked to Devolution of Power creates an ideological balance and a driving force for building the National Economy and for uniting the country against either economic or military aggression. 2.1.2) As Pan-Africanists we see ourselves as part of the movement which will bring economic liberation to the whole of Africa; as Communists we see that liberation in class terms, as centred around the interests of the Working-Class and Peasantry. 2.1.2) As Proletarian Internationalists we see ourselves as the Zimbabwean contingent of the world movement fighting for the global revolutionary transition from capitalism at its imperialist stage to socialism. 2.2) The ZCP will pursue its goals by means of educating, organizing and mobilizing the WorkingClass, Peasants and all progressive sections of society in support of our Party and its objectives of advancing the National Democratic Revolution through the building of a production driven National Democratic Economy. 2.3) The Vanguard role of the Party cannot be achieved through proclamation but only through collective organization and individual hard work; only through this means can the ZCP earn the recognition of the Working-Class and the Working People as a whole as their Vanguard Party. 2.4) The ultimate aim of the ZCP is the building of a Communist Society in which all forms of exploitation of person by person will have ended. In Zimbabwe this will require the establishment of a National Democratic Economy as a transitional stage, and the building of Socialism as the next stage as we move towards the creation of a stable, prosperous and classless Communist Society.
3) IDEOLOGY The ideology of the ZCP is that of Scientific Socialism commonly referred to as Marxism-Leninism and of non-racist Pan-Africanism as promoted by Kwame Nkrumah in African Socialism Revisited. The Communist analysis of the concrete conditions of Zimbabwe is based on the application of the scientific philosophy of Dialectical and Historical Materialism to those conditions.
3.1) The ZCP is committed to the teaching of these basic principles and to link them to the Dual Struggle of the African people. That is: 3.1.1) The struggle against imperialism and colonial domination now in the form of neo-colonialism and the neo-liberal agenda. 3.1.2) The internal class struggle at this time focussed mainly, though not exclusively, against the destructive parasitic black bourgeoisie which has hi-jacked the sacrifices of those who fought the liberation war and have perverted the concept of the economic empowerment of the African people for selfish personal gain. 3.1.3) The ZCP does not only fight AGAINST imperialism and the parasitic black bourgeoisie, it fights FOR the building of a National Democratic Economy as the first phase in the reconstruction of Zimbabwe as a socialist country. The concept of a revolutionary transition to a new mode of production and the acceptance of Scientific Socialist ideas among the masses is critical to the success of the Zimbabwe Revolution. 3.2.1) The ZCP encourages the scientific understanding of nature as a whole and the need to work with nature in order to secure a sustainable environment for the survival of both mankind and other species. 3.2.2) The ZCP regards the importance of sustainable, preferably organic agricultural methods as being of vital importance for both current and future generations. 3.2.3) As Zimbabwe develops its energy capacity the ZCP regards the gradual reduction of energy production methods which pollute the atmosphere as critical. 3.2.3.1) The ZCP regards re-forestation and tree growing for commercial, aesthetic and environmental purposes critical for the reduction of atmospheric pollution, reduction of global warming and for improving rainfall patterns. 3.2.4) The ZCP regards environmental cleanliness and recycling as a necessity. Environmental health reduces the risk of disease. 3.2.5) The ZCP regards the protection of endangered species such as the Rhino and the African Painted Dog as protection both of our heritage and our tourist industry. 4) The ZCP commits itself to a social order that will respect the existing culture, language and religious beliefs of the Zimbabwean people as well as the right to express non-religious and scientific philosophy by individuals and social formations. The Party is committed to the recognition of the diversity of Zimbabwe and its people and to national unity based on mutual respect. 4.2) The ZCP recognizes the rights of women as fundamental to the progress of the Zimbabwean Revolution and will endeavour both internally and within society as a whole to advance those rights. 4.3) The ZCP recognizes the rights of children, especially the right to food and shelter, the right to live without physical or sexual abuse and the right to education. 4.4) The ZCP recognizes the rights of people with physical and mental disabilities to social and financial support to assist them in becoming productive and valued members of society as far as they are able.
5) AFFILIATIONS The ZCP follows the general line of the orthodox communist parties as expressed by the International Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties (IMCWP) and will seek affiliation to that body as soon as possible. The Party also supports the efforts of the South African Communist Party International Department to re-organize the African Left Networking Forum (ALNEF).
6) NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE ZIMBABWE COMMUNIST PARTY As the Founding Conference represents the convergence of different pre-Party formations and individuals towards the common purpose of founding and building the ZCP, current conditions demand the creation of a transitional national centre, the National Steering Committee (NSC). The tasks of the NSC are: 6.1.1) To establish membership and organization throughout Zimbabwe and throughout the Zimbabwean Diaspora. 6.1.2) Establish political education for all members, both ideological and practical. 6.1.3) Establish working committees to further different aspects of the peoples struggle. 6.1.4) Work towards the convening of the 1st Congress of the ZCP based on its structures rather than on the pre-Party formations. The 1st Congress should be scheduled for 2 years after the Founding Conference, but recognizing that concrete conditions may shorten or lengthen this time period. 6.2) During the formative stage of the building of the Communist Party, the NSC has the mandate to build the Party on both a geographical and a sectoral basis, and will be guided by the principles spelled out in the document Guidelines on the Organizational Structure of the Communist Parties, on the Method and Content of their Work published by the Comintern following its 3rd Congress in 1921, which forms the main part of ZimCom Publishers online publication Principles of Communist Organization.
- The organization of the Party must correspond to the conditions and the purpose of its activity. At every stage of the revolutionary class struggle and in the subsequent period of transition to socialism – the first step: in the development of a communist society – the Communist Party must be the vanguard, the most advanced section of the proletariat.
- There can be no organizational form for Communist Parties which is correct at all times. The conditions of the proletarian class struggle are constantly changing: the vanguard of the proletariat must therefore always seek appropriate organizational forms corresponding to these changes. Similarly, each Party must develop its own special forms of organization to meet the particular historically determined conditions within its own country. Guidelines: I. General Principles (Comintern 1921) 6.3) The structure of the NSC as adopted at the Founding Conference on 28th April 2017, appointed the following: General Secretary, National Chairperson, Treasurer General, National Political Commissar and National Organizer, Deputy General Secretary, Secretary for International Relations, Secretary for Legal Affairs, Deputy National Chairperson, Deputy National Organizer for Rural Affairs, Deputy Organizer for Industrial and Informal Sector Affairs, Deputy National Commissar, National Secretary for Youth, National Secretary for Women, Deputy National Secretary for Youth,
6.4) Due to the problems of travel and finance, regular meetings of the NSC cannot be held in the
normal manner, therefore the Party must make sure that all NSC members have access to Skype so that meeting may be held online. 6.5) All decisions on policy, organization, membership and discipline are the sole responsibility of the National Steering Committee (NSC) with the proviso that they must be based on the decisions of and policy direction laid down by the Founding Conference. 6.6) As the Party grows and moves towards its 1st Congress, the NSC may, after reasonable consultation with the Party structures, change the structure and rules at any time provided that all NSC members are given a minimum of seven (7) days notice prior to any meeting at which rule change is discussed and there is a quorum at the meeting, Rule changing decisions may then be taken by a simple majority. 6.6.1) A quorum must consist of over half the members of the NSC. [Thus with a membership of six, a quorum is four (4), if the membership is seven (7) the quorum remains as four (4); if committee membership rises to eight (8) then the quorum becomes five (5).] 6.6.2) Any NSC member who misses three (3) consecutive meetings without apology is deemed to have resigned. This resignation must be confirmed at a meeting called after a minimum seven days notice, but does not need a quorum to confirm the resignation. The person deemed to have resigned must be informed in writing either by email or hard-copy. Similarly, a member of the NSC who misses five (5) meetings even with apology must be engaged to decide whether or not he/she should continue in their position. 6.7) The National Steering Committee shall decide on which bank to use for the safe keeping of party funds. All party funds to be kept in the bank or through ecocash as deemed necessary by the NSC.
7) MEMBERSHIP Any Zimbabwean who accepts the Constitution, Aims, Guiding Principles, Policies and Programmes of the Zimbabwe Communist Party have the right to apply for membership of the Party. Non-Zimbabweans living in Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans who have lost their citizenship are all eligible to seek membership whether in Zimbabwe or in the Diaspora. 7.1.) Any Party structure has the right to refuse membership to any individual it thinks unfit to join. Any person refused membership has the right to appeal to the NSC. The final appeal as in other matters to the National Congress. 7.1.1) The NSC has the right to refuse or take away membership from any person it thinks unfit to be a member of the Zimbabwe Communist Party. There is a right of appeal to the National Congress in this matter. 7.2) Membership of the Party is divided into Cadre Members and Candidate Members. Only Cadre Members have the right to vote at ZCP meetings. 7.2.1) A third membership category, that of Supporters, may be established at the discretion of the NSC and linked to the programme of Building the Party.
7.3) Cadre membership will be granted to leading members of the pre-Party formations which have
united to form the ZCP Communist Party in accordance with the agreement of the NSC. However, new members will normally start as Candidate Members for 1 (one) year. 7.3.1) Taking into account the advice of the structures, the NSC has the right to either shorten the period of Candidacy for any new member or even to waive it (e.g. in the case of a new member with political experience and ideological understanding) or, on the other hand, to extend the period. 7.3.2) The responsibilities of a Cadre Member are as follows: 7.3.2.1.) To do Communist work. 7.3.2.2) To understand the policies and programme of the Party and to implement them. 7.3.2.3) To be deployed within the Party, the mass movement or wherever else directed by the structures of the Party. Deployment must, however, be carried out following reasonable discussion with the Comrade concerned. 7.3.2.4) To report back and to discuss work carried out so that work is always in line with the general direction of the Party and is under constant re-assessment and improvement. 7.3.2.5) To continually deepen both ideological and practical knowledge through reading and attendance of political education and training schools. 7.3.2.6) To be involved, as a priority, with the political education and practical training of Candidate Members. 7.3.2.7) To report whenever personal or other circumstances prevent the Cadre from carrying out Party work. 7.3.2.8) To pay subscriptions on a regular basis and to financially and materially assist the Party according to the Cadre’s personal circumstances. 7.4) The responsibilities of a Candidate Member are the same as those of a Cadre Member except that the first priority of a Candidate Member is to learn and understand: 7.4.1) The ideology of Scientific Socialism as applied to African and specifically Zimbabwean conditions. 7.4.2) The policy, programme and rules of the ZCP. 7.4.3) Practical organizational and other skills needed to advance the cause of socialism as defined by the documents and collective decisions of the ZCP and its organs. 7.5) A ZCP Supporter has the responsibilities of paying subscriptions, generally upholding the policy and programme of the Party and behaving socially in a respectable and dignified manner. 7.5.1) Supporters may apply to become Candidate Members whenever they feel ready and are encouraged to do so. 7.6) All members will be expected to renew their membership annually.
8. STRUCTURE
8.1) Below the NSC, it is necessary to immediately form permanent provincial structures in all provinces of Zimbabwe. 8.1.1) South Africa has a very large Zimbabwean Diaspora population. We should establish provincial structures in as many South African provinces as possible. 8.1.2) Country structures must be established in all countries with a substantial Zimbabwean Diaspora (other than South Africa). It is essential that each Country structure has a strong working relationship with the recognized Communist Party of the country in which it operates. 8.1.3) All Provincial structures whether in Zimbabwe or South Africa and all Country structures are directly answerable to the NSC. 8.2) It is necessary to immediately establish a National Political Commissariat responsible for Political Education and Training which includes the National Political Commissar, Deputy National Political Commissar, General Secretary and National Chairperson. Each Province should have a Provincial Commissar. 8.3) It is necessary to immediately form an Industrial Advisory Committee led by the National Organizer. Industrial Organizers also need to be appointed at Provincial level. 8.4) The NSC must oversee the formation of new territorial and advisory structures as soon as possible. Individuals or small groups must be given the task of forming new structures. 8.5) A minimum of 3 people is necessary for the formation of a Party Cell. These cells may be territorial or sectoral. A Party cell must always be answerable to a higher structure. At this stage the cells will normally be part of the Provincial structure but in other cases it may be necessary for a cell to report back directly to the NSC. 8.6) Membership at present will be directed through Provincial structures. 8.6.1) All members, other than Supporter Members, will be required to be committed to a sphere of work either directly in the Party or in the mass movement and submit reports on his/her activity. This activity must be known and co-ordinated by the Party leadership and those working in the same sphere of activity. When, because of work, sickness, family or other reasons a Member is unable to fulfil his/her duties, that member is required to report back to the Party and indicate when he/she will again be available. 8.7) During the formative period members will be allowed to hold more than one position within the Party. However, should it be seen that any member is using this departure from the norm to build personal power, then the NSC will have the right to intervene.
9. DEMOCRATIC CENTRALISM
9.1) The party shall function according to the constitutional principles of democratic centralism that Communists Parties have traditionally adhered to. 9.2) Members are obliged to defend the ZCP and to carry out its decisions. All decisions taken by higher structures are binding on all lower structures and individual members. Members are free to express their views internally.
9.2.1) Members who abuse the right to express their views internally by holding up the business of
meetings through consistently criticising Party policy or individual Members at every meeting will be subject to disciplinary action. 9.3) All higher structures shall be accountable to lower structures and to the membership in the formulation and implementation of policies. 9.4) All structures of the ZCP shall encourage the practice of constructive criticism and selfcriticism and motivation. 9.5) Party structures must initiate campaigns and activity without waiting for “instructions from above”. These activities must, however, be in line with the general political line and programme of the Party and must be accompanied by report-backs to higher structures.
10) GENERAL DISCIPLINE 10.1) All cadre members, candidate members and supporters must publicly uphold and advance the decisions and programme of the Party whether or not they personally agree with them. 10.2) Where there is disagreement with a Party decision, these disagreements must be discussed internally. Discussing internal Party issues on any public platform, including social media will be regarded as a serious offence unless in circumstances where the Party has given space for open, public debate, 10.3) It is strictly forbidden for any Party member at any level to express racialist, tribalist, regionalist or sexist ideas. Any Member at any level breaking this rule will be deemed as having committed a very serious offence. 10.4) Any Party member who conducts their private life in such a manner as to bring disrepute to the Party through dishonest behaviour, theft, drunkenness, public violence, domestic violence or other anti-social or regressive behaviour will be deemed as having committed an offence. 10.5) It is the duty of the NSC to deal with serious cases of indiscipline. The NSC has the right to suspend or expel members at any level. However, discussion and counselling of offenders should be used as far as possible. 10.5.1) A distinction must be made between genuine, committed Party members who commit an offence and those who by their actions demonstrate that they are following a personal or political agenda opposed to the general line of the Party and its leadership. As the Party grows, it will be the responsibility of the NSC in consultation with lower structures and individual members to put into place disciplinary procedures and to set up Disciplinary Committees which will administer those procedures. 10.5.2) While the Party is still small, discipline will be carried out directly by Regional Committees with right of appeal to the NSC and finally to the National Congress.
11) DUTIES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARY
The General Secretary shall be the Chief Administrator of the ZCP according to the conditions
determined by the NSC. The General Secretary shall be an ex-officio member of all structures and shall: 11.1) Keep the minutes of all NSC meetings and other meetings as agreed by the NSC; and shall keep such books, records and archives as may be required. 11.2) Attend to all correspondences of the NSC. 11.3) Maintain regular personal and written contact with all the Provincial and sectoral organizations of the Party. The General Secretary must keep the NSC aware of the feelings and opinions of the membership and must keep the membership informed of the decisions of the NSC. 11.4) Draw up (or cause to be drawn up) all reports and documents as may be decided upon by the NSC.
12) DUTIES OF THE NATIONAL CHAIRPERSON The National Chairperson shall with the General Secretary act as a national office bearer of the ZCP and be the ex-officio member of all party’s structures. The National Chairperson shall: 12.1) Preside all meetings of the NSC and other meetings as agreed by the NSC. 12.2) The duties and powers of the National Chairperson are as indicated in the section ‘Conduct of Meetings’. The conduct of meetings by Chairpersons at all levels must follow the same guidelines.
13) DUTIES OF THE TREASURER GENERAL The duties of the Treasurer General shall be: 13.1) Under the direction of the NSC take all necessary measures to ensure that the ZCP is provided sufficient means to carry out its political and organisational tasks. 13.2) Dispose of such funds as the authorised by the NSC by general or specific mandate. 13.3) Be responsible for the safe-keeping and administration of all property and monies of the ZCP. 13.4) Keep such and accounts as will clearly record and reflect the financial position of the ZCP and submit statements of income and expenditure to the NSC at intervals to be determined by it. under the direction of a Finance Committee appointed by the NSC.
14) MEMBERSHIP OF OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES AND FORMATIONS The ZCP at this juncture has no immediate intention of being standing for election. It allows and even encourages ZCP members and groups to be active in electoral parties so long as they uphold the general line of the ZCP within those parties. Where dual membership is not allowed by other parties, communist groups will be encouraged within those organizations in liaison with the ZCP but without formal membership.
14.1) ZCP members should not simultaneously hold senior positions in both the ZCP and another
political party. 14.2) Dual membership of the ZCP and other organizations claiming to be ‘Communist’, ‘Vanguard Parties’ and in particular Trotskyist organizations is forbidden.
15) CONDUCT OF MEETINGS 15.1) ZCP meetings must be divided into political education meetings and business meetings. The aim of all our meetings must be to give direction and information to those working in the struggle and also to impart enthusiasm to members, and where meetings are open, to encourage new members to join. 15.2) Meetings will normally start with the singing of the first verse of The Internationale and end with the singing of the first verse of The Red Flag. [The Internationale was originally written in French and there are a number of different English versions. The ZCP will use the version used by the SACP]. 15.3) Political education meetings should normally be open to both members and non-members but with the right of the ZCP to exclude any person or persons likely to disrupt the meeting either physically or by other means. The meetings may be preceded by the singing of revolutionary songs. If there is a series based on a particular written work, the tutor will encourage individual members of the class to prepare introductions. The atmosphere should be more relaxed than for business meetings. 15.4) Business meetings should be formal. So long as members have been given at least 5 days notice, 2 members represent a quorum and meetings must begin at the time stipulated. Decisions taken by those who have arrived on time become binding on late-comers. Unless there is a special reason, meetings should be conducted thus: 15.4.1) Singing of The Internationale. 15.4.2) 10 minute political introduction which should be topical, followed by 10 minutes debate. If there is need for a decision based on the political decision it must be recorded. Different comrades should be encouraged to give the introduction. Sometimes there may be a guest speaker at this point. 15.4.3) Minutes of previous meeting to be read with particular reference to the implementation of decisions. 15.4.4) Any Special Business 15.4.5) Any Other Business. 15.4.6) Singing of The Red Flag 15.5) Chairing of meetings should be carried out in such a way as to encourage consensus on action. The Chair must allow adequate debate over any issue without allowing the meeting to drag on unnecessarily. Once all have had a say, the Chair must seek consensus and if that is not forthcoming must move to a vote before moving to the next business.
15.5.1) All Cadre Members have a vote, Candidate Members may speak but not vote.
15.5.2) The Chair normally has one vote the same as all other members. 15.5.2.1) All new resolutions or propositions which do not have a simple majority fall. 15.5.2.2) Only in the case of an “either or” decision [for instance if there is a tied vote over whether a meeting be held at venue A or venue B] does the Chair have an extra, casting vote. 15.6) Minute taking must normally be done by the Secretary of the structure, however the structure which is conducting the meeting may at its discretion either permanently or temporarily appoint a Minutes Secretary. 15.6.1) Normally the Minutes Secretary should record only decisions and the names of those entrusted to carry out decisions. There is no need to record every word said. However any Comrade strongly opposed to a decision has the right to insist that his/her opposition be minuted.
16) ZimCom PUBLISHERS ZimCom Publishers is a wholly owned subsidiary of the ZCP. The name ZimCom may also be used in connection with or as an alternative name for the Party. ZimCom Publishers exists to publish classic documents of the Communist movement, the African and anti-imperialist struggle or new theoretical or historical writing in an attractive format with extensive explanatory notes. At present all documents are on online PDF format, but it is intended that publications should in future be produced in pocket-sized A6 hard copy.
17) PARTY JOURNAL The official journal of the Zimbabwe Communist Part is Vanguard. The object of Vanguard is to educate, agitate and organize the Party membership and those close to it. Its duty is to reflect the collective view of the Party as determined by the Founding Conference, future Congresses and the decisions of the leading organs. Views at variance with the collective decisions may, at times, be expressed through signed articles. Articles from other Communist Parties, other progressive organizations or even, on occasions, from reactionary sources, may be published so long as: 17.1) The article is informative and thus assists our cadres in their political understanding. 17.2) The origin of the article is clearly indicated. PLEASE REMEMBER: BUSINESS MEETINGS ARE NOT POLITICAL ACTIVITY, THEY ONLY PLAN POLITICAL ACTIVITY. POLITICAL ACTIVITY TAKES PLACE WHEN COMMUNISTS INTERACT WITH THE MASSES
THE INTERNATIONALE
Arise ye prisoners of starvation Arise ye toilers of the earth For reason thunders new creation Tis a better world in birth Never more traditions chains shall bind us Arise ye toilers, no more in thrall The earth shall rise on new foundations We are but naught: we shall be all Then comrades come rally, Tis the last fight we face The Internationale Unites the human race. (REPEAT)
THE RED FLAG
The people’s flag is deepest red
It shrouded oft our martyred dead And ere their limbs grew stiff and cold Their heart’s blood dyed its every fold Then raise the scarlet standard high Within its shade we’ll live and die Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer We’ll keep the Red Flag flying here