Zanu PF and Zapu have reportedly locked horns in Matabeleland South over claims by Zapu that officials of the former ruling party in Insiza district were forcing farmers to donate towards its national conference.

This comes hard on the heels of reports Zanu PF was struggling to raise the $1 million needed to bankroll the conference scheduled for Bulawayo next month.

Yesterday, Zapu southern region spokesperson Methuseli Moyo claimed Zanu PF officials had attempted to extort donations from farmers in Insiza North, some of whom were Zapu members.

“Zanu PF Insiza district official Aggripa Ndlukula, in the company of an accomplice only identified as Moyo, gate-crashed an Insiza/Shangani Farmers’ Association meeting at Shangani Farmers’ Hall and told farmers to donate towards the Zanu PF conference, threatening that those who did not would lose their land,” Moyo said.

But Zanu PF Matabeleland South provincial chairman Andrew Langa dismissed the allegations as cheap propaganda.

“I believe that could be propaganda. I am a farmer in Insiza and I know that farmers are instructed to concentrate on farming and not play politics.

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I am disappointed to learn that some farmers in my constituency are Zapu-oriented. I have always regarded them as farmers,” said Langa, who is also Deputy Minister of Public Service.

He, however, insisted there was nothing wrong with people asking for donations.

“Anyone from any political party is free to ask for donations from any person. If ever Ndlukula approached them (farmers), it was not that he had approached Zapu supporters, but farmers,” he said.

“I am also aware that there is no Zapu in my constituency and there will never be Zapu in my constituency, except for people purporting to be Zapu.”

But Moyo was adamant saying: “Realising that their threats were backfiring, Ndlukula and Moyo backtracked saying only those who were willing should donate.

Zapu has cross-checked with several of its members and supporters who attended the meeting to verify these details.”

Meanwhile, Zanu PF was last night scheduled to hold a fund-raising dinner in Harare for its five-day Bulawayo conference.

The party is also reportedly selling portraits of President Robert Mugabe and extorting from companies as part of its fund-raising programme.

All Zanu PF provincial structures have been instructed to raise at least $150 000 towards the conference’s budget.

Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo told NewsDay Vice-President Joice Mujuru was set to officially open the dinner party.

“The dinner is to raise funds for the Bulawayo conference, but I don’t have the figures exactly on what we have to raise, on that you can ask the chairpersons of the fundraising committees,” said Gumbo.