Opinion / Columnist
Zapu will not compromise its founding principles
16 Aug 2012 at 05:58hrs | Views
Dr Dabengwa speaking at a meeting in Nkayi at Gwamayaya on the 28th July 2012 said "ZAPU is back and back for good, ZAPU will never again allow itself into a situation in which the Party's founding principles of transfer of power to the people to be compromised" Dr Dabengwa's remarks were directed at a villager who had asked what program was ZAPU bringing which was different from MDCs or ZANU PF.
Many villagers were complaining about the deliberate decapitation of their communities by ZANU PF. Mrs Z.Tshuma said, I am a widow not because I am a widow, but because my husband has been forced by the difficult political and economic situation in our country to cross the border to South Africa" She said
"My husband was a teacher, but now he does security work in Johannesburg, all my three sons couldn't get jobs in this country, one is in the UK and two in Botswana, I see these two once a year and the one who went to the UK has not returned home in 8 years, what pains me the most is to see people from other regions working in our area as if we do not have people who can do those jobs" she cried.
Dr Dabengwa said that there is a way of rectifying all these problems, he said that the greatest problem in Zimbabwe is a lack of innovative, selfless and mature leadership, a kind of leadership which will focus on nation building not on destroying the nation, a leadership which values people and not force them to act or vote in a certain way.
"Leadership is an essential ingredient lacking in this country, if we had a leadership which did not fear its people, a leadership which trust its people's capabilities and abilities to make effective contribution in the social and economic well-being of this nation, we would witness an unprecedented transfer of power from the centre to where people are" Dr Dabengwa said.
Dr Dabengwa said that ZAPU will not compromise on devolution of power, all the other parties who preach micky-mouse devolution may compromise if they want, but that ZAPU will stand firm when it comes to devolution of power.
On the 5th August 2012 Dabengwa addressed yet another meeting at Dandanda, a meeting which was attended by former ZIPRA Doctors. One such Doctor was a MaNkomo, who said that the Smith regime was using all different kinds of weapons against the liberation fighters including chemical weapons. She said that many people lost their lives through vests which were laced with poisonous chemicals by the Smith regime. She explained how they discovered this dastard act and how they treated the people.
A man who identified himself as Mr Makhathini asked Dr Dabengwa whether it was true that he said that he was willing to go back to ZANU as Mugabe was his elder. "I have said it many times that those who want to go back to ZANU may do so, but I will never go back, that is as simple as all that, I did not join ZANU PF government because I liked it or wanted to, but it was after a long time of discussions with Dr Nkomo, who said that we had a responsibility of saving people's lives" Dabengwa explained.
Dr Dabengwa thanked the villagers who risked their lives during the liberation struggle by ensuring that the ZIPRA cadres did not go hungry. "You brought the independence of this country, without you, without your support the guerrillas would not have fought a gallant struggle" Dr Dabengwa remarked "we come to you again, asking you to never give up, to never tire, this time we ask for your democratic choice in terms of your votes, let us finish this struggle together" he concluded.
ZAPU is engaging on a nationwide campaign programme which is aimed at re-engaging people and educating them about its policies.
Source - NkalaThulani
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