OHANNESBURG Internal fighting has continued within ZAPU, with two warring factions of the partys European branch arguing over the status of the partys interim chairman, Dumiso Dabengwa, this week.
In a letter to the national executive committee, Jabavu Mpofu, chairman of the partys UK council, called for an investigation to be launched against interim national chairman Dabengwa, adding that the party’s hopes of revival were in jeopardy as long as the former Home Affairs Minister was spearheading the process.
“It is therefore our most unpleasant duty to ask the National Council of Elders, as the constitutional custodians of the integrity of the party and its policies, to urgently intervene on behalf of genuine party members by taking necessary steps to suspend the interim national chairman until his leadership is cleared from this allegation,” said Mpofu.
“The interim national chairman has failed to exonerate himself from the allegations of being an agent of the Zanu (PF) agenda in Zapu. Instead he has revealed that he has been secretly in communication with a group that has displayed total disregard for the party constitution, policies and procedure led by Johnson Mnkandla.”
However, another faction, led by retired magistrate, Johnson Mkandla, responded immediately, accusing the Mpofu faction of spreading lies about the partys Europe council of elders.
ZAPU elders in Europe would like to affirm their recognition and endorsement of Dumiso Dabengwas leadership in his position as interim ZAPU national chairperson, said Zenzo Ncube, spokesman for the ZAPU Europe branch.
We would like highlight that the Europe council of elders did not issue any statement packed with allegations and questioning the authenticity of ZAPU national leadership. For the avoidance of any doubt, the elders committee of ZAPU in Europe is chaired by retired Bulawayo provincial magistrate Johnson Mkandla and not by a Mr Mpofu.
The party accused Mpofu of being neither a member of its elders committee nor a member of the party.
The individual is, however, known to disrupt any progress in Europe and making absurd allegations and statements in public. While there may be parties where votes of no confidence are raised through the media, we wish to state that ZAPU is not one of such parties and that these statements have no effect.
Anyone who thinks that our national chairperson is an agent of Zanu (PF) is no different to anyone who thinks that Nelson Mandela was an agent of P.W Bothas National party. Such a persons state of mind must surely be put to serious questioning.
It is only commonsensical that if one does not subscribe to the policies and leadership of one political party, they go away and support other political parties where they feel happy and accommodated. Unlike others, we do not have a culture of forcing people for support. Those who do not subscribe to our policies and leadership are free to leave. ZAPU does have a crisis of membership.
It is our hope that in future, statements written by any disgruntled, disorderly and disillusioned individuals who can basically spell the word ZAPU is not confused with those issued by authentic leadership of ZAPU.
Post published in: News