Zapu invites electoral partners ahead of elections

Zapu is prepared to forge electoral pacts with other parties ahead of the national polls as long as it is not asked to drop its name, a party official has said.

Speaking during a party rally at Chinotimba Hall in Victoria Falls, Zapu vice-president Emilia Mukaratirwa said her party was open to proposals for electoral alliances, but partners must believe in devolution of power as part of the requirements.

"We are prepared to have an electoral alliance, that is if other parties would want to come together, but you see once beaten twice shy and so they will have to meet certain minimum conditions," she said.

"Zapu will never lose its identity again as happened in the Unity Accord. Our name should not be done away with. We are the pioneers of devolution of power. If you don't share that value, we can't talk to you," Mukaratirwa said.

"We also believe in the system of proportional representation when it comes to elections as opposed to the winner-take-all system or first-past-the-post system. Those who want to partner us must respect and value the liberation struggle. The problem we have had is that some Zanu-PF leaders would use the liberation struggle as an excuse to rule people not lead them. They don't listen to people's problems and use liberation as an excuse even where it doesn't apply. They should know that they did not fight the war to get the right to oppress you."

Mukaratirwa said Zapu had completely severed ties with Zanu-PF by pulling out of the unity accord signed by President Robert Mugabe on behalf of Zanu-PF and the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo.

"They (Zanu-PF) are in denial of the fact that we pulled out of the unity accord," she said. "So Unity Day should now be a day to celebrate the unity of Zimbabweans, celebrating our diversity not the unity of Zapu and Zanu-PF.

"Our detractors have said we are a regional party, that our party is made up of Ndebeles only and is based in the southern region. I am Mukaratirwa from Mashonaland East and I'm the vice-president of Zapu, but am I Ndebele? The party's national organising secretary is Solomon Nhamo; is he Ndebele? The list is endless. If we were a tribal party, what would these people be doing in Zapu? Nkomo was called Father Zimbabwe for a reason. He was a nationalist and belonged to Zapu, a nationalist party. As long as you are a Zimbabwean, you are welcome into Zapu."

Mukaratirwa urged Zimbabweans to be peaceful during the forthcoming elections and avoid "hate speech and name-calling".