A group of Zanu (PF) youths spotted Ncube distributing Zapu flyers at a funeral in the area, calling people in Umguza constituency to vote “Yes” for a new constitution which includes “devolution of power” in a referendum expected in June. The Zanu (PF) youths then grabbed Ncube and handed him over to two police officers who were also at the funeral, who then took him to Inyathi police station.
Umguza constituency is under Zanu (PF) legislator, Clifford Sibanda.
“Stanley was at a funeral in Inyathi area of Umguza, and then he started distributing flyers with Zapu logo calling people in the region to vote a constitution which include devolution power. The next thing some men believed to be Zanu (PF) grabbed and handed him over to police officers who were around, accusing him of causing alarm and despondency,” said Mark Mbayiwa the Zapu Matebeleland Regional Coordinator.
Ncube was detained at Inyathi police station before taken to Lupane police station. Matabeleland North police spokesperson Siphiwe Makonese said she was not in office.
Zimbabwe human rights organisations, civic society groups, pressure groups and other opposition political parties have called for the urgent implementation of “devolution of power” in Zimbabwe to stop the continued marginalisation of some provinces.
They are saying “devolution of power” is the only way of uplifting some of the country’s provinces that have remained marginalised since Independence in 1980.
Some civic groups accuse the central government of robbing resource rich regions to develop preferred provinces, notably Matabeleland which lags behind in terms of development.
However President Robert Mugabe and Zanu (PF) have dismissed “devolution of power” saying it will divide people of Zimbabwe and should not be included in the new constitution.
Post published in: News