Zanu-PF accused of causing economic damage

The secretary-general of newly formed opposition party, Zimbabwe Communist Party (ZCP), Ngqabutho Mabhena, has admitted to disrupting the Joshua Nkomo memorial lecture in South Africa at the weekend, saying he did so in protest at alleged attempts by a speaker to gloss over the economic damage caused by Zanu-PF's warring factions.

Mabhena yesterday told Southern Eye that he stood up and heckled businessman, Justice Maphosa after the latter told guests that Zimbabwe was a safe investment destination.

"Maphosa came across as a man on a mission to market Zimbabwe as a safe destination for doing business, ignoring the political questions that make it difficult for investors to invest in the country," he said.

"We then argued on that when he was making his presentation. My apology is on my interrupting him while speaking, but I remain opposed to his views."

Maphosa was among a panel of presenters - that included war veterans' leader, Christopher Mutsvangwa, and Zapu president, Dumiso Dabengwa - at the memorial lecture held at Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg on Saturday in honour of the late Father Zimbabwe.

Mabhena said he remained convinced that there was a need to resolve the political questions before talking about the safety of investment in the country.

"For us to bring confidence to both local and international businesspeople to invest as part of rebuilding our economy, we must first of all unite against Team Lacoste and G40, and Zanu-PF, as a political institution that advances the interests of the unpatriotic black bourgeois," he said.

Mutsvangwa also had a torrid time at the lecture, as he was booed and interrupted by mainly youths from Matabeleland, who were angered by the focus of his presentation, which concentrated more on his personal differences with members of Zanu-PF's G40 faction than on Nkomo's legacy.

Academic Bhekilizwe Ndlovu also admitted to interrupting Mutsvangwa's speech.

"I take full responsibility for my actions when I shouted from the floor and challenged Chris (Mutsvangwa) to stop being personal and stop addressing factional issues at a Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Lecture in South Africa at Wits University," he said in a Facebook post yesterday.

Ndlovu said, while he appreciated Mutsvangwa's anger at his Zanu-PF rivals, his decision to single out Tsholotsho North MP Jonathan Moyo was "tribalistic".

"I also wish to state that I respect Chris and understand where he comes from. I can imagine what it's like to have cut a law degree short to join the liberation struggle only to be removed from the prestigious Zanu-PF politburo and Cabinet," he said.

"To make matters worse, my learned fellow citizen usurps a platform created to remember Joshua Nkomo by turning it into a platform to lick the wounds he suffered in the hands of those in Zanu-PF, who schemed better than him, specifically Jonathan Moyo. Singling out my Member of Parliament, who represents a marginalised constituency, Tsholotsho, is wrong and tribalistic for Chris to do, consciously or unconsciously."

Mutsvangwa has described those who booed him as "tribalist" and praised Dabengwa for restoring order during the lecture.