News / National
Zapu, Mthwakazi party fight over control of Matabeleland
03 Jul 2017 at 01:35hrs | Views
A TOP Zapu official in Matabeleland South province has accused the secessionist, Mthawakazi Republic Party (MRP) of advancing the Zanu-PF divide-and-rule agenda in the region for political expedience.
Zapu Matabeleland South provincial chairman, Mathew Sibanda made the remarks, while addressing party supporters at Mtshazo business centre last week.
Sibanda said it was ironic that MRP leader, Mqondisi Moyo purports to oppose President Robert Mugabe's misrule, yet he continued to work as a civil servant under the same regime.
"They always come and remind you of the good old times under kings Mzilikazi and Lobengula. They adopt the so-revered Mthwakazi name only to hoodwink you into believing them. They are not sincere, but agents of Zanu-PF and Mugabe. Do not follow such misguided elements," he said.
Sibanda questioned the sincerity of a secessionist party intending to contest elections in what they call "a neighbouring Zimbabwe".
"They always tell us they are non-Zimbabwean and do not partake in Zimbabwean processes, yet they have announced participation in next year's elections. For which Parliament or local authorities are they contesting? Is this not another one of Mugabe's tricks of dividing our people?" he asked.
Contacted for comment, Moyo said: "We are disturbed by Sibanda's utterances. As MRP, we appreciated Zapu's contributions in the liberation struggle because even our parents were part of it. I say so because my father, Gideon, was a war veteran (sic), but he died and never saw independence of this country. He was a teacher, who lost his job to fight the war.
"Zapu should understand that things have changed. We are not fighting Zanu-PF, but we are on a restoration of the Mthwakazi cause to reverse the grand plan of 1979. Zapu seems to be still living in the past.
"Mugabe was not put by the people of Matabeleland and Midlands in 1980. Zapu should not blame its failures on us because we are even fighting to liberate them from marginalisation. Imagine, as they make these claims, behind the scenes they are courting me to rejoin them and even call us their pressure group."
Zapu Matabeleland South provincial chairman, Mathew Sibanda made the remarks, while addressing party supporters at Mtshazo business centre last week.
Sibanda said it was ironic that MRP leader, Mqondisi Moyo purports to oppose President Robert Mugabe's misrule, yet he continued to work as a civil servant under the same regime.
"They always come and remind you of the good old times under kings Mzilikazi and Lobengula. They adopt the so-revered Mthwakazi name only to hoodwink you into believing them. They are not sincere, but agents of Zanu-PF and Mugabe. Do not follow such misguided elements," he said.
"They always tell us they are non-Zimbabwean and do not partake in Zimbabwean processes, yet they have announced participation in next year's elections. For which Parliament or local authorities are they contesting? Is this not another one of Mugabe's tricks of dividing our people?" he asked.
Contacted for comment, Moyo said: "We are disturbed by Sibanda's utterances. As MRP, we appreciated Zapu's contributions in the liberation struggle because even our parents were part of it. I say so because my father, Gideon, was a war veteran (sic), but he died and never saw independence of this country. He was a teacher, who lost his job to fight the war.
"Zapu should understand that things have changed. We are not fighting Zanu-PF, but we are on a restoration of the Mthwakazi cause to reverse the grand plan of 1979. Zapu seems to be still living in the past.
"Mugabe was not put by the people of Matabeleland and Midlands in 1980. Zapu should not blame its failures on us because we are even fighting to liberate them from marginalisation. Imagine, as they make these claims, behind the scenes they are courting me to rejoin them and even call us their pressure group."
Source - newsday
