Zapu threatens to 'go back to the bush'

JOHANNESBURG - Zapu has threatened to wage another liberation war if Zanu-PF continues its plans to displace villagers in favour of top members of the security forces and greedy ruling party stalwarts.

Addressing hundreds of predominantly Zapu supporters that gathered at Berea Park, Johannesburg for a solidarity rally with the people of Maleme, Matobo in Matabeleland South, Zapu's new RSA Provincial Chairman, Bongani Halimana, said Zimbabwe's oldest party would continue to build and lead public resistance against attempts by President Robert Mugabe's party to create a black elite out of its top leaders and members of the securocrats.

"The tragedy of a government that has abdicated its role of serving the people to taking from them the little the little they have was recently captured in Maleme, where scores of villagers were arrested for standing up to defend their land from the claws and tentacles of Zanu-PF spy, Rodrick Mashingaidze," said Halimana.

The Maleme Ranch, owned by Peter Cunningham is a source of livelihood for hundreds of villagers who are being taught a number of self-help projects that include poultry and animal husbandry. Villagers successfully repelled the spy boss's attempts to wrestle the farm from their hands, jerking second Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko off his seat to do a fire-fighting by pretending his government did not know the state of affairs.



"When the Zanu-PF government was busy killing people through Gukurahundi; when Zanu-PF was butchering the masses into submission; when Zanu-PF was busy stealing votes; when Zanu-PF was busy enriching its leadership through land grabs and diamond theft, the Cunninghams were busy teaching peasant farmers in Matabeleland the art of self-sustainability. The Cunninghams are not just an ordinary white family, but one that lives to fulfil the Godly wish that all men - black and white, shall live together as equals," said the Zapu leader, who captured the scenes that unfolded in Matobo during the farm saga.

"It was disheartening for me to see scores of those elderly villagers, obaba nabomama bethu bebotshwa, bebotshelwa umhlaba wabo abaphila kuwo; umhlaba abawulwelayo; umhlaba abanye babo abawufelayo, endaweni yabo sengathi bangabantu bokuza. UMashingaidze lo nguye umuntu wokuza ngoba kasosizalwane saseMatobo kumbe eMatabeleland South. Nguye obefuna ukuvuna lapho angahlanyelanga khona ngoba uli CIO elikhulu elithandwa nguMugabe. Kanti lapho avela khona akulamhlaba na?" asked Halimana to loud applause from the gathering.

"As we stand here as Zapu, we would like to make it clear that as a party that not only fought, but also won the liberation struggle, we will not allow such barbaric behaviour anywhere in Zimbabwe. We did not fight to change the colour or tribe of the oppressor, nor did we fight to create a black bourgeoisie state in Zimbabwe. We fought for an equitable distribution of wealth and natural resources and our devolution of power principle calls for the sharing of natural resources in the manner that benefits locals first."

Halimana challenged Zanu-PF to read the signs.

"The Maleme outrage should give Zanu-PF a clear sign of what could happen should they continue with this barbaric behaviour and as Zapu, we would like state it categorically clearly that should need be, we will make sure that another revolution is staged for the same reason as the fair - fighting against the unfair distribution of land." Zapu also opened a Maleme Solidarity Fund that will raise resources for the people who waged a war of the masses in the area.