'I will take Mujuru to Bhalagwe' - Apostle Anglistone Sibanda

Popular Bulawayo Apostle cum activist Anglistone Sibanda has vowed that he will take Zimbabwe People First President Joice Mujuru on a controversial trip to Bhalagwe Gukurahundi mass graves site.

Online media reports making rounds on social media platforms quote Sibanda as having declared to fellow ZimPF members that he wants to take up the post of Vice President in the party and in the process lead Mujuru to visit the Gukurahundi sites in his rural constituency of Matobo North.

"Thina abeMatobo North sizahamba laye umama eBhalagwe ayebona abesekhuluma I way forward...kumbe axolise if need be..eBhalagwe kukithi no one can stop us as Matobo villagers," he is quoted as having said to the party members.

Apostle Sibanda last year led a group of Matobo villagers under the banner of Matobo Development Trust to resist a CIO operative Rodney Mashingaidze from taking over land in Matobo district. Among other reasons given in resisting Mashingaidze was that he was of Shona descent which was going to make it difficult for him to stay with the community there which believed that all Shona people were responsible for the Gukurahundi atrocities.

Mujuru's intentions to visit the Gukurahundi sites have been meet with a huge resistance from people and pressure groups in Matabeleland who carry the same allegations that Mujuru was responsible for Gukurahundi killings and so should stay away from the mass graves.

For sometime now, Matabeleland region members of the Mujuru party have been lobbying the party to have a Vice President to Mujuru from the region. It is not clear if the position has been declared vacant yet but, Apostle Sibanda is quoted by the media as having declared his intension to take over the Vice President post and relinquish his church duties in the process.

Sibanda could not immediately be contacted for a comment on the issue.