Zapu condemn reckless Zanu PF MP

Zanu PF Mpopoma-Pelandaba legislator Joseph Tshuma has angered Zapu by claiming that Matabeleland region is not marginalised but locals are 'not determined, they're choosy, they prefer to go to South Africa".

Tshuma told pastors in his constituency recently that people who complain about marginalisation are ignorant.

Zapu said Tshuma's sentiments are reckless and provocative.

Below is the full statement :

Joseph Tshuma can not go unchallenged. In today's Chronicle, Tshuma is alleged to have slammed the people of Matabeleland for riding on what the legislator termed alleged marginalization by the system of Zimbabwe. Tshuma is alleged to have gone on to say that the people of the region are not aggressive enough to take numerous opportunities that come their way but instead opt to cross borders into South Africa.

Very quick questions come to mind whenever one hears these ZANU PF bootlickers pour out their insults on the people of Matabeleland. What opportunities do they talk about? To whom is the information about the opportunities availed? Who makes the decision to grand the opportunities? Do those who cross to South Africa do so willingly? Do they enjoy their stay in that country? Do people who enjoy stay in foreign countries come back home as corpses who sometimes are buried without their loved ones body viewing them?

The big question is who is speaking here? All and sundry can tell it is not Hon Joseph Tshuma speaking.

 Does the MP know that marginalization comes in many forms than what he already knows?

 Does he know there is marginalization in our schools where teachers are non conversant with the children's first languages? Does the MP know there is marginalization when it comes to opportunities of training with all tertiary institutions in the provinces giving first priority to outsiders ahead of locals? Does Hon Tshuma know its marginalization when information about job opportunities is kept away from locals so that outsiders get first preference? Does he know that people are marginalized when they can't access services at government departments because of the language barrier imposed by officers who are not conversant with local languages?

Very well then, in as much as we know Hon Tshuma was articulating his party's opinion about the people of Matabeleland, we need to remind the legislator that he is a representative of the people to parliament directly and the state indirectly. He must never think he was elected to the office of MP to represent the state or his ZANU PF party which is a known enemy of the people of Matabeleland as history will prove-from the 1963 tribally fueled split from ZAPU, the 1980s Gukurahundi Genocide on the people of Matabeleland, the 1979 Grand Plan Document and all its successive reviews.

The Honorable MP needs to be reminded that his duty is to represent the people of Phelandaba-Mpophoma and articulate their problems at the legislature other than insulting them with vitriol from ZANU PF. It is ZANU PF's position and policy to disadvantage the people of Matabeleland and to achieve that, a systematic marginalization strategy has been used over the years to cow them into submission.

It is unfortunate and disheartening for the MP to come down on the downtrodden people of Matabeleland and deliver the insult they have always had from his masters who include Mugabe, the leader of ZANU PF. It is treasonous for Tshuma, as an elected official, to abuse the mandate by becoming an agent of ZANU PF's Gukurahundi and Grand Plan and the Mugabes of this world, piling insults on the people as has been demonstrated by his masters.

Hon Tshuma needs no reminding to the daring fact that ZANU PF is not at all concerned with the welfare of the people of this region but is only after amassing all the power with no meaningful representation of the people whatsoever. That is why it is easy for the MP to oppose the long visible grievance of marginalization and instead insult the people by suggesting they are hell bent on crossing borders into neighboring South Africa without taking perceived opportunities allegedly availed by the ZANU PF government.
When he should listen and proffer solutions to the problem, Tshuma chooses to rub salt on the wounds by constantly reminding the people that those in positions of authority regard them as second and third class citizens whose grievances should never be addressed.

Hon Tshuma should stop his nauseating bootlicking and strive for relevance to the people he represent. He should not continuously sing for the crumbs he is getting as super by ignoring and opposing the people who voted him into parliament.

If people say they are marginalized, its not his duty to dispute that as MP, but take it up with the authorities and come back to report on the solutions. He should forget that he is in a position to dictate his, Mugabe and ZANU PF's Grand Plan theories as it is such recklessness that has made the people of Matabeleland suffer in an independent Zimbabwe under a so called black government.

The MP should, forthwith, deliver the marginalization grievance to parliament and Mugabe his master and return to the people with solutions to it. He should start engaging the aggrieved electorate and stop being the know it all he's trying to portray to the people. Let the MP consult the electorate for the people have all the solutions to the problems affecting them daily under ZANU PF' failed rule of the country.

Iphithule Thembani kaMaphosa
Deputy National Spokesperson
Zimbabwe African Peoples Union