Zapu has dismissed claims that it is a regional party, saying such sentiments were tribalistic and meant to misrepresent its national character.
In an interview with NewsDay yesterday, Zapu national executive council youth representative Mqondisi Moyo said the Zapu leadership had been offended by recent statements by their political opponents, who claimed the party was largely regional because most of its top leaders came from Matabeleland.
“It is not true that because Dumiso Dabengwa is from Matabeleland, he is therefore a regional leader. Such statements are disgusting and tribal in nature because he (Dabengwa) is in fact, a national leader of a national party,” he said
“We are a national party that seeks to contest for presidency in the forthcoming presidential elections. It is a lie for politicians from other parties and the media to claim that we are a regional party.”
Moyo also dismissed media reports that Dabengwa had not severed links with Zanu PF.
“We have seen reports where MDC-T are saying that Dabengwa is a project of Zanu PF and a failed regional leader. We regard this attack as an act of sabotage. In fact, Dabengwa is a national leader and Zapu is a national party as much as MDC–T would like to claim they are a national party. As Zapu, we are also saying we can never be a project of Zanu PF.”
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MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora is on the record as saying people should not take Dabengwa seriously because he was a failed regional leader.
Mwonzora also allegedly said Dabengwa’s description of President Robert Mugabe as an “elder” sounded like the Zapu leader was leading a sponsored branch of Zanu PF.