'Sikhosana lied to Mugabe'

ZANU-PF Politburo member Absolom Sikhosana was on Friday confronted by Alderman David Ndlovu for claiming to President Mugabe that he lost because of vote-buying.

President Mugabe, arriving for last Wednesday's Politburo meeting at the Zanu-PF Headquarters in Harare, chided Sikhosana for losing his central committee bid.

The secretary for youth affairs responded: "Ngadliwa ngemali (I lost because of vote-buying)."

Ald Ndlovu, who beat Sikhosana to the central committee, yesterday told Chronicle the latter knows that he was beaten clean with no involvement of money.

"He stood against me and I've never bought votes, he knows that. I asked him on Friday what he meant when he said he lost due to vote buying and he said he wasn't referring to me," said Ald Ndlovu.

"He said he was referring to some people that he said used money to buy votes but when I pressed for names Sikhosana refused to divulge any."

Killian Sibanda, who was elected unopposed in Area 4 where Sikhosana lost, said all the contestants were ordinary party members.

It is reported Sikhosana got three votes during the election while Alderman Ndlovu garnered 36 votes with Cdes Langelihle Mathe and Khumbulani Mlilo each polling 21 votes.

"We're ordinary members. There wasn't any big shot in the area so it isn't correct for Sikhosana to say he lost because of vote-buying. I campaigned and printed my manifesto that was distributed to the people," said Sibanda.

"I think aspirants to the post were so intimidated by my orderly campaign that I got in uncontested. I can even speak on behalf of Alderman Ndlovu, he doesn't have a lot of money to go around buying votes. We campaigned together and I didn't see any money exchanging hands."

Sibanda said in apparent reference to Sikhosana: "Some leaders had a tendency of disappearing to Harare after being put into positions. They forget that they've a constituency and only remember the people on election time and when they lose they then try to find excuses."

Party heavyweights Sikhosana and fellow politburo members Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu and Angeline Masuku lost in central committee elections last Monday.

There has been talk in hushed tones among members who claim that the defeat of the three party bigwigs in the province had a negative impact on the Unity Accord as the three are perceived to be PF Zapu representatives in the Accord.

However, Godfrey Malaba who was elected into the central committee for the third term, said the Unity Accord was not dependent on a few individuals.

"That's why even when the late Vice President Dr Joshua Nkomo passed away, the Unity Accord remained intact. It isn't dependent on individuals and PF Zapu wasn't a Bulawayo party but a national one. It's wrong then to say the defeat of a few individuals in Bulawayo affects the Unity Accord,' said Malaba.

He said the Unity Accord catered for everyone including future generations.

Sibanda on the other hand said he was a PF Zapu councillor after Independence so there was no one who could claim that the Unity Accord had been affected after the loss of a few individuals.

Joseph Tshuma, one of the winners in Area 3 where Dr Ndlovu lost, said as the young Turks, they would work hard to make sure that Zanu PF restores lost glory in the province.

He said reindustrialisation was one of the priorities in their tenure as central committee members.