ZAPU Europe's Christopher Maphosa hands over the reins - The Exit Interview

The ZAPU Europe PEC's term of office comes to an end on the 30th April 2016 where a new administration will be elected, here we retrace the footsteps and gauge the milestones of the outgoing executive. We were lucky to have the opportunity to catch up with Mr Christopher Maphosa the out-going chairperson. Below are the excerpts of the interview.

Thulani: Your term of office is coming to an end and I understand that you will be holding and elective AGM on the 30th April 2016 in Leicester, would you mind to share with us the challenges you faced as the chair of ZAPU Europe and what do you deem as the successes and achievements of your executive?

Christopher: We are indeed heading for the end of term. Our elective AGM is on the 30th this month as you stated. Yes, there were challenges. When we took office the province was in disarray and a sinking titanic. It is no secret that there was so much internal strife and divisions, members differing on a number of issues. This was the biggest challenge we inherited. Ours was to calm the waters, stabilise the situation, gain the trust of all comrades and get them working together. It was never easy as some thought we were representing certain forces in the party against other comrades. I'm glad to say that was never the case but a genuine approach. On that front I think we succeeded. The province has no squabbles and we have laid ground work for future construction and development of our organisation in the province. It is an achievement we are carrying with to the elective AGM as a present to the membership and the incoming executive.

Thulani: What is the state of the province right now?

Christopher: The party is growing, the spirit is high, members are looking forward to our AGM of the 30th where they exercise their democratic rights to elect a new PEC and give it the mandate it deserves to discharge its political duties for the next four years and also prepare the province for the forthcoming party National Congress back home. We have opened a vibrant branch in Belfast, Northern Ireland and they are sending a strong delegation to join us at the elective AGM in Leicester.

Thulani: What would you say would be the focus of the incoming PEC?

Christopher: I hope you will appreciate that I won't be dictating to the new PEC on where they should focus. Remember, they will be elected on a new mandate and they will be accountable to the membership who elected and mandated them. It will be disrespectful of me, not only to the new PEC but to the membership in general if I were to begin to tell the newly mandated PEC where to focus. They will be entrusted with wielding executive powers of the province and therefore at liberty to make their own priorities.

Thulani: We have been informed that you have been earmarked for a National Executive position, could you confirm whether it is true? Would you be standing for the position of chair or any other, yes or no, please give us the reasons?

Christopher:  No, I will not be standing for any position including that of Chairperson of the province. I have made a decision not to stand for any position on the 30th elections as I must attend to a few personal matters that require my full attention. Only time will tell how long but I'm certainly not retiring from the campaign to bring about democracy and uplift the living standards of the masses of our people especially the poorest of our poor. There is no reason to retire when the people of Lalapanzi (Lalaphansi) still have no running water, while those of Kafusi, Binga rural and Mandidzudzure are still worse off that they were when they toppled the Smith regime.

On a positive note, my not standing for election on the 30th affords the membership the opportunity not only to freely elect the new leadership of their choice but to ENJOY the kind of democracy that exists in our organisation.

Thulani: Do you have any message to the incoming PEC?

Christopher: My prayer is that they work together and closely with the membership in peace, harmony, respect, unity and party discipline as this will ensure that stability is maintained in the province and party growth accelerated. Any individual, group or team that will drag the province back to the ugly scenes of yesteryears we witnessed as a province will be just as good as committing a war crime. Our people have suffered enough and can no longer afford unnecessary delays in their freedom campaigns.

I wish the AGM a free, fair, transparent and democratic election that will guarantee credibility. I wish the new PEC every success in its mammoth task of running the affairs of the province for the next four years. Last but not least; I appeal to all our members in the province to rally behind the new PEC and support it in every way we can and that our top leadership of the party also support our province. Thank you.

Thulani: Thank you Mr Maphosa, it was an incredibly journey over the past four years talking with you and enlightening us on the work of your party, whatever you decide to do we wish you all the best and we hope in the future we will talk to you again.

Mr Christopher Maphosa is largely credited for bringing stability in peace in ZAPU Europe. "Mr Maphosa has brought a culture of openness, transparency and collaborative working" concluded Mr Siqhelile Ndlovu, the Secretary of Finance.