News / National
'Forgive and come back' to Zanu-PF says former senior PF-Zapu cadre
28 Dec 2013 at 01:38hrs | Views
The state media on Saturday reported that an ex-Zipra cadres said former PF-Zapu cadres who left Zanu-PF should come back and table their grievances within the party as their continued isolation is not helping the country.
On Sunday, President Mugabe made a passionate plea to former freedom fighters and the Dr Dumiso Dabengwa-led Zapu to return and work with their revolutionary counterparts to consolidate the gains of independence and the spirit of unity.
"I feel pained when I talk about this issue because it places me in a hard position as an ex-Zipra cadre who worked with these people," said Jane Lungile Ngwenya, one of the few surviving former senior PF-Zapu cadres.
She added: "Many freedom fighters from the Zapu side, people who sacrificed their lives, die and are not accorded a befitting status because of that. Just because they were misled."
She also said: "when people see these things they get angry. We fought together and we cannot turn our backs on each other today. Such division creates hatred.
"I appeal, with all my heart to all who feel they have been offended to forgive and come back. We fought for one Zimbabwe and our enemies are happy to see us divided 33 years after independence."
Dr Dabengwa has said he would only respond to the President's invitation after consulting the leadership of his party arguing that he did not leave Zanu-PF alone, but led a block.
Echoing President Mugabe's sentiments, Ngwenya said liberators should bury their personal differences and pursue the bigger agenda of a united nation.
"Zimbabwe is bigger than all of us and we cannot sacrifice that. The President's message is an opportunity for us to reconcile," she said adding, "Some of us are in the twilight of our lives and we cannot afford to leave people divided."
Zanu-PF Politburo member and former PF-Zapu secretary for welfare Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu said President Mugabe's message was spot on.
"That was a very strong message, an appeal to all who now realise their mistake to see that the opportunity is there for them to return," he said.
Ndlovu added: "Members of the public and the entire political leadership want them to come back. President Mugabe has opened the door and he is now waiting for a response."
The first black mayor of Bulawayo, Ndlovu, said Zanu-PF was ready to welcome their "lost" brothers and urged loyal members not to despise them when they come back.
He said PF-Zapu president and late Vice President Joshua Nkomo, despite differences with Zanu leaders, agreed to broker unity in 1987, supported and worked with President Mugabe, who was his junior, to foster development.
The 1987 Unity Accord has held for 26 years but on its 21st anniversary, in December 2008, a few elements in the former Zapu, led by Dr Dabengwa left Zanu-PF. The idea was to "revive" Zapu.
"Umdala accepted to be led by President Mugabe despite the fact that he was senior. He did not care about names and individuals," Ndlovu said.
"VP Nkomo saw that bickering does not help. He said he did not fight to rule but to liberate black people and give them their land. To our colleagues sithi kababuye sizabamukela (let them come we welcome them.)"
The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs in Bulawayo, an ex-Zipra cadre and Zanu-PF Politburo member Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo also urged Zapu cadres to come back home saying there was no need for them to remain isolated.
"Differences might be there but we need to resolve them. That is why the President delivered such a message. We need to talk about this and resolve it," she said.
Zanu and Zapu prosecuted the liberation war as one, though from two separate fronts. They concretised that unity when they fought as the Patriotic Front in the later years of the struggle. The two liberation movements won the war and were part of the first democratically elected unity government in 1980.
They regrettably drifted apart from 1982 but came back together on December, 22, 1987 when they signed the Unity Accord and a united Zanu-PF was formed.
PF-Zapu leader, Dr Nkomo became Vice-President and former Prime Minister, Mugabe, became the Executive President.
President Mugabe made the passionate call on a day when he conferred three honours on the late Vice-President Dr Nkomo.
It must have hit the President that as he led the proceedings, the party that Dr Nkomo left in July 1999, was not exactly the one that is there today after the departures of some former PF-Zapu cadres in 2009.
On Sunday, President Mugabe made a passionate plea to former freedom fighters and the Dr Dumiso Dabengwa-led Zapu to return and work with their revolutionary counterparts to consolidate the gains of independence and the spirit of unity.
"I feel pained when I talk about this issue because it places me in a hard position as an ex-Zipra cadre who worked with these people," said Jane Lungile Ngwenya, one of the few surviving former senior PF-Zapu cadres.
She added: "Many freedom fighters from the Zapu side, people who sacrificed their lives, die and are not accorded a befitting status because of that. Just because they were misled."
She also said: "when people see these things they get angry. We fought together and we cannot turn our backs on each other today. Such division creates hatred.
"I appeal, with all my heart to all who feel they have been offended to forgive and come back. We fought for one Zimbabwe and our enemies are happy to see us divided 33 years after independence."
Dr Dabengwa has said he would only respond to the President's invitation after consulting the leadership of his party arguing that he did not leave Zanu-PF alone, but led a block.
Echoing President Mugabe's sentiments, Ngwenya said liberators should bury their personal differences and pursue the bigger agenda of a united nation.
"Zimbabwe is bigger than all of us and we cannot sacrifice that. The President's message is an opportunity for us to reconcile," she said adding, "Some of us are in the twilight of our lives and we cannot afford to leave people divided."
Zanu-PF Politburo member and former PF-Zapu secretary for welfare Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu said President Mugabe's message was spot on.
"That was a very strong message, an appeal to all who now realise their mistake to see that the opportunity is there for them to return," he said.
Ndlovu added: "Members of the public and the entire political leadership want them to come back. President Mugabe has opened the door and he is now waiting for a response."
He said PF-Zapu president and late Vice President Joshua Nkomo, despite differences with Zanu leaders, agreed to broker unity in 1987, supported and worked with President Mugabe, who was his junior, to foster development.
The 1987 Unity Accord has held for 26 years but on its 21st anniversary, in December 2008, a few elements in the former Zapu, led by Dr Dabengwa left Zanu-PF. The idea was to "revive" Zapu.
"Umdala accepted to be led by President Mugabe despite the fact that he was senior. He did not care about names and individuals," Ndlovu said.
"VP Nkomo saw that bickering does not help. He said he did not fight to rule but to liberate black people and give them their land. To our colleagues sithi kababuye sizabamukela (let them come we welcome them.)"
The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs in Bulawayo, an ex-Zipra cadre and Zanu-PF Politburo member Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo also urged Zapu cadres to come back home saying there was no need for them to remain isolated.
"Differences might be there but we need to resolve them. That is why the President delivered such a message. We need to talk about this and resolve it," she said.
Zanu and Zapu prosecuted the liberation war as one, though from two separate fronts. They concretised that unity when they fought as the Patriotic Front in the later years of the struggle. The two liberation movements won the war and were part of the first democratically elected unity government in 1980.
They regrettably drifted apart from 1982 but came back together on December, 22, 1987 when they signed the Unity Accord and a united Zanu-PF was formed.
PF-Zapu leader, Dr Nkomo became Vice-President and former Prime Minister, Mugabe, became the Executive President.
President Mugabe made the passionate call on a day when he conferred three honours on the late Vice-President Dr Nkomo.
It must have hit the President that as he led the proceedings, the party that Dr Nkomo left in July 1999, was not exactly the one that is there today after the departures of some former PF-Zapu cadres in 2009.
Source - Chronicle
