Zanu-PF gags 'qethu' minister

Zanu-PF Matabeleland North province has issued a prohibition order against Bubi legislator and deputy minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Simelisizwe Sibanda, barring him from party activities over allegations of misconduct.

The prohibition order, signed by provincial disciplinary committee chairperson Silas Maligo on Monday, accuses Sibanda of conduct "contrary to the interest, ethos and integrity" of the ruling party and likely to bring its name into disrepute.

According to the charge sheet, Sibanda allegedly refused to co-operate with the district co-ordinating committee (DCC), created parallel structures, and dissociated himself from Zanu-PF on social media platforms such as the Bubi Community Parliament. He is accused of declaring that he no longer represented the party in Parliament after last year's harmonised elections.

Maligo further charged that Sibanda abused government programmes for personal political gain, including commissioning boreholes drilled under the Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme without party involvement, and presenting ICT ministry laptops to schools as though they were his own donations.

"You dissociated yourself from Zanu-PF on social media platforms… You use the Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme and resultant business units as your own initiative… thus disrespecting the authority of the DCC," Maligo wrote.

Sibanda also allegedly embarrassed party leaders through disparaging remarks made in public and online.

The prohibition order, which took effect on August 24, bars the MP from exercising DCC duties, accessing provincial and district Zanu-PF offices, or attending any party gatherings until his case is heard. The provincial disciplinary committee has set a hearing for November 19, and Sibanda has 21 days to respond to the allegations.

Contacted yesterday, Sibanda said he was not aware of the prohibition order.

Sibanda has previously courted controversy. In July last year, President Emmerson Mnangagwa briefly dismissed him from his deputy ministerial post before reinstating him after he issued "profuse apologies." He also faced criticism for attempting to transfer an early childhood development teacher from Bubi district on the grounds of poor proficiency in isiNdebele.