'Coalitions crafted on tribal and regional lines'

THE Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) chairman Jabulani Sibanda has castigated coalitions formed by opposition parties, saying they were crafted on tribal lines meant to divide citizens.

Addressing hundreds of Ward 3 Zanu-PF supporters at a rally at Elangeni Training Centre yesterday, Sibanda said MDC-T, Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn and Zanu Ndonga's coalition was based on the fact that their leaders, Mr Tsvangirai, Dr Simba Makoni and Mr Reketayi Semwayo were all from Manicaland.

He said the Professor Welshman Ncube led MDC and Zapu led by Dr Dumiso Dabengwa also formed their own coalition because they were from the southern part of the country.

"Why would people want to vote for a leader who wants to divide people on tribal and regional lines? Tsvangirai, Makoni and Semwayo joined forces because they are all from Manicaland while Ncube and Dabengwa also have their own thing because they are from Matabeleland.

"That is tribalism and regionalism and we cannot sit back and allow people to be divided. Zanu-PF is the only party that does not segregate people according to tribe or region. Our only coalition is with God," said Sibanda.

He challenged Zanu-PF supporters to go out in full force the door to door campaign to mobilise support for the party.

Sibanda warned that the party's supporters should not be like some churches that visited households but still fail to increase their following.

"We are not yet in the celebratory mood because we are still campaigning. Let us mobilise people to join the party.

"As we visit houses, let us not talk to people and leave them behind but they should accompany us to other houses to confirm they have joined us," he said.

Sibanda said he and his team had randomly selected five houses in Ward 3 to assess the recruitment exercise and was not happy because only one of the five houses had been visited by the recruiting team.

He advised the leadership to fully utilise the remaining period before the elections to garner support for the party.

Sibanda also urged the aspiring candidates to meet at least twice per day to plan and evaluate day's work until election day.

He also called upon the party to consider visiting minority communities such as the Hindu, Indian and Portuguese, saying they needed to be encouraged to support the party. The rally was organised by Zanu-PF candidate for Bulawayo East Kevin Muzvidziwa and Senate candidate Professor Callistus Ndlovu who is the party's provincial chairman.

Muzvidziwa said he was confident of winning the seat for the party.

"The MDC-T says once voted into office it would invite its Western friends to come and invest in the country. That is like inviting a neighbour to come and stay in your house because there is hunger expecting that he would help your family. As Zanu-PF we want to empower people to sustain themselves and I know I have already won this race," he said.

Professor Ndlovu said he was happy that the party's supporters were coming in their numbers to rally behind the party.

"If anybody thinks that this party will be led by tribal leaders, then that person is whistling to his grave because we will never allow people to be divided along tribal lines. We are here representing the best candidates," he said.

The rally was also attended by Politburo members Cdes Eunice Sandi-Moyo and Absalom Sikhosana.