A ZIMBABWE People First (ZimPF) official in Bulawayo has triggered a storm after he allegedly scoffed at Zapu leader Dumiso Dabengwa’s re-election, labelling him “recycled deadwood”.
BY SILAS NKALA
ZimPF Bulawayo provincial spokesperson, Geneva Sibanda’s alleged remarks ignited a verbal showdown with Zapu deputy spokesperson Iphithule Maphosa who described the utterances as offensive.
Sibanda is alleged to have likened Dabengwa’s recent re-election as Zapu leader to “galvanising old retreaded tyres”, suggesting that the former Zipra intelligence supremo had outlived his political usefulness. Zapu on Friday retained Dabengwa as its leader at a congress held in Bulawayo.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Sibanda said the remarks were his personal views, which should not be linked to the Joice Mujuru-led opposition party.
“I am dispelling the link of my remarks about Zapu to the ZimPF. It was my personal opinion which has nothing to do with the party,” he said. “I did not say Dabengwa is a donkey, someone just distorted my opinion. I respect Dabengwa I would not attack him to that extent.”
He said he was chatting in a group and someone was mischievous to take his opinion out of the group and distort it. But, Maphosa said Sibanda’s remarks had sown seeds of mistrust and could derail the ongoing negotiations among opposition parties to form a coalition.
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“Who told ZimPF that Zapu is working for survival? How do they measure and separate survival to growth? Again, who advised ZimPF that Zapu is a sinking ship? How does ZimPF quantify and qualify our leadership and whether or not they are sellable? How does ZimPF measure the level of seriousness on the part of Zapu?” Maphosa asked.
He said it was unfortunate that the comments had come from a representative of a party which was currently engaged in negotiations to form a coalition of opposition parties.
“It is also disappointing to realise that ZimPF has deliberately chosen to disrespect the choice of leadership by Zapu members. We wonder why it is wrong for Zapu to recycle its leadership within its laws and within the confines of its constitution? Zapu wonders why ZimPF has chosen to define and dictate democracy to us just as they fail to launch their party over a year after forming it and under two years to general elections?” Maphosa said in apparent reference to ZimPF’s delayed party launch.
“Before ZimPF plays big sister to Zapu, they should remember that democracy, in one of its many intended objectives, advances the will of the majority in an entity. The majority of Zapu members making up the just-ended congress chose Dabengwa to serve his second and last term in office as party president. Instead of negatively criticising us, ZimPF should try to congratulate us for both a successful congress and adherence to the constitution and democratic processes.”
