O-Zapu leader clashes with Binga traditional leaders

Political tensions flared over the weekend after O-Zapu president Mathew Sibanda accused ruling party Zanu-PF supporters and some traditional leaders of harassment, intimidation, and sabotage during his party's first major campaign rallies.

Sibanda, who formed O-Zapu earlier this year following a split from Zapu, held rallies at Lusulu Business Centre on Saturday and in Tshipale ward, about 50 kilometres south of Binga, on Sunday.

At Lusulu, the rally nearly collapsed after a group of Zanu-PF supporters, allegedly led by a local activist, attempted to disrupt proceedings.

"We had police clearance, yet we were treated like criminals. It was only after the police intervened that order was restored and we could continue," Sibanda told Southern Eye.

During the rallies, villagers voiced concerns over worsening living conditions, youth unemployment, rising crime, drug shortages in clinics, and a growing sex trade among young women.

Sibanda also accused chiefs and headmen of coercing villagers to support the ruling party, saying:

"People are suffering in silence. They cannot sell their livestock without jumping through bureaucratic hoops, which is often their only way to buy food or send children to school."

He further condemned poor infrastructure and stalled projects, citing the Gwayi-Shangani Dam as an example of government inaction.

"The roads are almost impassable. The dam project has become a monument of empty promises. We need a government that finishes what it starts," he said.

Sibanda also criticised the ongoing joint police and Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) blitz on transporters, calling it an extortion scheme that penalises citizens for poor road conditions.

"Dozens of transporters have had vehicles impounded for vague mechanical faults, often subjected to verbal abuse. The system is broken," he said.

He pledged that an O-Zapu government would prioritise infrastructure development, healthcare improvements, road rehabilitation, and anti-corruption measures, promising to restore dignity to citizens.

As Zimbabwe approaches the 2028 election cycle, Sibanda's efforts signal a potential challenge to rural strongholds long dominated by Zanu-PF.