News / Local
Dr Dumiso Dabengwa - "Leftover old fart and Opportunist"
08 Sep 2011 at 13:49hrs | Views
BULAWAYO - THE leadership of Bulawayo Agenda (BA), Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) and Radio Dialogue FM (RDFM) labeled Dr Dumiso Dabengwa and other members of his party as "left over old farts and "opportunists" with no support behind them.
In a recent cable released by whistle-blower website, Wiki leaks the then director of Bulawayo Agenda (BA) Anastacia Moyo dismissed the recently formed ZAPU as being nothing more than a "few disgruntled old men" who were interested from material gain from starting a new political party.
Ms Moyo is no longer the director of BA after she was controversially ousted amidst allegations of misappropriating more than US$70 000 and general management of the civic society outfit.
The leaks have exposed the three civic society organizations as MDC T sponges that have nothing to do with providing a platform for debate and dialogue as a forum for conflict resolution but are out to prop up their chosen political party.
Ms Moyo who was pouring out information to American Ambassador Charles Ray on behalf of her employer is said to have added that ZAPU had "few members and little support from the people," and called out the people of Matabeleland to rally behind Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC formation, the cable says.
During the same information gleaning session by the Americans, Radio Dialogue FM director – Fr Nigel Francis Bernard Johnson described ZAPU's leadership as "leftover old farts" and opportunists."
To add salt to the wound, the then chairman of the BRPA, Reason Ngwenya told Ambassador Ray's team that residents of Bulawayo have in their monthly meetings held in 29 wards have expressed concerns that ZAPU may actually "be a ZANU PF creation" designed to "sap support for MDC T."
"All dismissed ZAPU as a tired relic from the past without a future," says the cable.
Dr Dabengwa and other former ZANU PF members broke away from ZANU PF during the up to the March 2008 harmonized elections when he supported Dr Simba Makoni of Mavambo / Kusile / Dawn , who however lost the presidential race.
The break-away from ZANU PF was according to him and colleagues necessitated by ZANU PF continued failure to adhere to the terms of the 22 December 1987 Unity Accord Treaty which was signed by President Robert Mugabe and the late Vice President Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo.
BA and BPRA are sister organizations – all founded by State Enterprises and Parastatals minister, Godern Moyo.
The two organizations have been at loggerheads with Bulawayo residents over their partisan support of MDC T in their programming.
They have been accused of breeding, nurturing and planting "foreign candidates" in the Matabeleland region at the behest of minister Moyo who the accusers say is out to please PM Tsvangirai after he appointed him to a ministerial post without a single party member on his side or a party card.
Minister Moyo and his organizations have denied these allegations.
Fr Nigel has been and continues to be a conduit for donor funds for BA, BPRA and RDFM and has remained mum on all allegations.
ZAPU could not be reached for comment.
In a recent cable released by whistle-blower website, Wiki leaks the then director of Bulawayo Agenda (BA) Anastacia Moyo dismissed the recently formed ZAPU as being nothing more than a "few disgruntled old men" who were interested from material gain from starting a new political party.
Ms Moyo is no longer the director of BA after she was controversially ousted amidst allegations of misappropriating more than US$70 000 and general management of the civic society outfit.
The leaks have exposed the three civic society organizations as MDC T sponges that have nothing to do with providing a platform for debate and dialogue as a forum for conflict resolution but are out to prop up their chosen political party.
Ms Moyo who was pouring out information to American Ambassador Charles Ray on behalf of her employer is said to have added that ZAPU had "few members and little support from the people," and called out the people of Matabeleland to rally behind Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC formation, the cable says.
During the same information gleaning session by the Americans, Radio Dialogue FM director – Fr Nigel Francis Bernard Johnson described ZAPU's leadership as "leftover old farts" and opportunists."
To add salt to the wound, the then chairman of the BRPA, Reason Ngwenya told Ambassador Ray's team that residents of Bulawayo have in their monthly meetings held in 29 wards have expressed concerns that ZAPU may actually "be a ZANU PF creation" designed to "sap support for MDC T."
"All dismissed ZAPU as a tired relic from the past without a future," says the cable.
The break-away from ZANU PF was according to him and colleagues necessitated by ZANU PF continued failure to adhere to the terms of the 22 December 1987 Unity Accord Treaty which was signed by President Robert Mugabe and the late Vice President Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo.
BA and BPRA are sister organizations – all founded by State Enterprises and Parastatals minister, Godern Moyo.
The two organizations have been at loggerheads with Bulawayo residents over their partisan support of MDC T in their programming.
They have been accused of breeding, nurturing and planting "foreign candidates" in the Matabeleland region at the behest of minister Moyo who the accusers say is out to please PM Tsvangirai after he appointed him to a ministerial post without a single party member on his side or a party card.
Minister Moyo and his organizations have denied these allegations.
Fr Nigel has been and continues to be a conduit for donor funds for BA, BPRA and RDFM and has remained mum on all allegations.
ZAPU could not be reached for comment.
Source - Byo24News
