Mphoko told to 'zip it'

THE Dumiso Dabengwa-led Zapu has told Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko, to shut up and stop making disparaging remarks about an opposition party he deserted at the height of the liberation struggle in 1976 to join Zanu.

Zapu deputy spokesperson , Iphithule Maphosa, said Mphoko, who at the weekend described the party as "fake", labelled the VP a war deserter, who was now singing for his supper to remain relevant in faction-ridden Zanu-PF.

Mphoko on Saturday accused Dabengwa of causing confusion and giving the impression that-PF Zapu had abandoned the Unity Accord signed in 1987 with Zanu to end the Gukurahundi massacres in Midlands and Matabeleland provinces.

The Unity Accord resulted in the formation of Zanu-PF, however, Dabengwa and other former-PF Zapu leaders maintain the Unity Accord is no longer in existence after they quit Zanu-PF in 2008 to revive their party, saying they were frustrated in the ruling party.

But, Mphoko angered Zapu members on Saturday when he labelled the party as fake.

"Zapu is on record as acknowledging the unfortunate circumstances that our erstwhile comrade Mphoko finds himself in, being pressured to speak on behalf of a party, which he deserted at the front," Maphosa said.

"As far as Zapu is concerned, Mphoko was missing in action after disappearing from Zimbabwe People's Army (Zipa) in Mozambique in 1976, while on assignment until he resurfaced as a Zanu nominee to the CIO [Central Intelligence Organisation] at independence. That action coupled with his desertion, from the front disqualified him from Zapu membership.

"Mphoko is not a member of Zapu. He joined Zanu in 1976 and has neither the mandate nor legitimacy to speak on behalf of Zapu.

"He represents the interests of those sell-outs, who chose to remain in Zanu when Zapu pulled out of the Unity Accord for well-documented reasons. Zapu takes exception to such misleading hallucinations from Mphoko. As a compassionate organisation, we, however, pity him. The poor man has no option but to sing and satisfy his master for him to feed his family."