BULAWAYO - All but one of ZAPUs six suspended senior members have appeared before the partys disciplinary committee, to face charges of misconduct, according to a party spokesperson.
ZAPU suspended the six executive members in December last year on allegations that they had, among other things, held unauthorised meetings with the intention of showing insubordination to the party and its leadership and that they made statements to the press that were viewed to be in contempt of the partys leadership. They were also accused of having participated in the distribution of material on the formation of a party called Matabeleland Progressive Party.
The suspended members – Evans Ndebele, Retired Colonel Ray Ncube, Smile Dube, former Bulawayo councilor Alderman Charles Mpofu, Nhlanhla Ncube and Charles Makhuya, had accused the re-launched party of delaying their appearance before a Disciplinary Committee. Without giving exact dates, a party official this week told The Zimbabwean that five of the members were hauled before the DC two weeks ago. The members separately appeared before a Bulawayo provincial DC, which comprises a Committee of Elders for preliminary hearings, where we read out the charges that the party has preferred against them, for which they were suspended and are set to be tried for, said party spokesman, Methuseli Moyo.
However, one of the members, Evans Ndebele, is yet to appear because he is refusing to be tried by Bulawayo Province, saying that he has a senior post and cannot be tried by a province. He also claims that he does not belong to Bulawayo Province, but is failing to give us his province. What also boggles us is that the acts were committed in Bulawayo. Moyo said that the members all pleaded not guilty and explained themselves to the DC on why they did what they are being charged with.
The party will, within the next few weeks, call witnesses to the DC, with the members also calling theirs, as the trial resumes. Moyo said that despite their preliminary appearance, one of the members, Charles Mpofu, had gone on to give unsanctioned interviews to the press, during which he continued to castigate the party and its leadership. I think he should understand that in any big organisation, no one can just talk to the press as that creates unnecessary chaos. He should just leave the job of commenting on party issues to those that are mandated by the party to do so, said Moyo.
He would however, not give specific dates on when the members will be tried and the matter finished with, saying that would depend on the DC and the members co-operation.
Post published in: News