Shun tribalism, says Mphoko

THE Zanu-PF Bulawayo Province on Friday held a successful fundraising dinner for the forthcoming Nation People's Conference to be held in Victoria Falls from 7-13 December, amid calls for people in Bulawayo to unite and revive the city which was once the industrial hub of the country.

Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko said the city's revival was dependent on residents who have to stand up and be counted among other citizens as the city has all that it needs to be at its best.

"People of Bulawayo you have to do things on your own. We must not look down upon ourselves because we have the potential to do well. You must stand up and do things for yourself and Bulawayo has everything hence I urge you to stand up and be counted," said Acting President Mphoko.

"The organising committee told me that they have been tasked to fundraise for the conference and they were saying people have no money but I assured them that I was going to support them. The majority of people who supported us are not here. We received $10 000 from Mbokodo, Choppies gave us $10 000 and our friend in South Africa called Gumede gave us $20 000, and the list goes on," he said.

The Vice-President further implored that people should stop looking at their leaders on tribal grounds. He said tribalism will not develop the country, instead people should view every resource in the country as theirs.

"Don't look at the President as a Zezuru but look at him as our leader, don't also look at us on tribal grounds but look at us as your leaders. Those who are saying there must be a certain tribe to lead the country are misplaced. There is nothing like that. We never fought the war on tribal grounds," said Acting President Mphoko.

The party's Secretary for Administration, Ignatius Chombo, lashed out at the private media for speculating the main agenda of the conference which he said has nothing to do with leadership positions.

Said Chombo: "This conference is going to evaluate how last year has gone. We will look at how far we have gone with our resolutions which we made at the last year's congress. Why do you speculate what we are going to talk about when we can tell you the truth for free?"

Chombo heaped praise on Obert Mpofu who is the Secretary for Finance in the party for the sterling job he is doing for the party. He said under the leadership of Mpofu, the party has never struggled to pay its employees and operations are running smoothly.

Zimbabweans, Chombo said, should embrace words of unity which Acting President Mphoko raised of not looking at leaders on tribal grounds, as tribalism distracts people from what they will want to achieve.

The fundraising dinner was characterised by auctioning of portraits of revolutionary icons. A portrait of the late Vice-President Dr Joshua Nkomo was auctioned for $900, the portrait of "the big four" which had Dr Nkomo, President Mugabe, Jason Ziyaphapha Moyo and George Silundika was sold for $1 000. The portrait of former Zipra members which had people like Mphoko, Dr Nkomo and Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Nomthandazo Eunice Moyo was sold for $1 500. The First Lady's portrait was sold for $2 000.

Also in attendance were Kembo Mohadi who is the party's Secretary for Security and also the Minister of State for National Security, the Deputy Minister of Welfare Services for War Veterans, War Collaborators and Former Political Detainees Tshinga Dube, Fred Moyo who is the Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Bulawayo Parliamentarians, party members and the city's business community.