MDC youth attack Mbuso Sibanda

THE Secretary General of the Youth Assembly of the Movement for Democratic Change formation led by Professor Welshman Ncube has come out guns blazing against Mbuso Sibanda for "personalising the legacy of his father" and thinking that "only his friends were his fathers' friends," Bulawayo24.com reveals.

Mbuso is the eldest son of the late veteran trade unionist and politician - Gibson Sibanda who passed away in August last year.

A memorial service for Sibanda has been held in Filabusi over the weekend - without a personal invitation to any member of the party that his father led until his death.

The Newsday of 23 September 2011 quoted Sibanda's son - Mbuso saying:

"MDC president Welshman Ncube has not been invited in his personal capacity. Rather, his party has been invited and so far I have been notified that one of his MPs will be attending the memorial service and maybe his interests will also be represented," he said.

In an interview yesterday, Discent Collins Bajila said his party will forever respect the legacy of Sibanda despite the "childish ranting" of Mbuso.

"It can only be childish that the memorial of Gibson Sibanda will be held in the absence of Fletcher Dulini Ncube, Paul Themba Nyathi, Essaph Mdlongwa, Mozes Mzila Ndlovu, Edwin Mushoriwa, David Coltart and above all Professor Welshman Ncube.

"Mbuso should understand that it was by design that he became son to Gibson Sibanda and not by choice.

"Gibson Sibanda's choice was the very people Mbuso has chosen to vilify using his father's grave," he said adding that if Mbuso was a democrat like his father he would have "known" that there is "nothing wrong" with members of the same family having different opinions on one organisation.

The abrasive youth leader also castigated Mbuso for inviting to his father's funeral people that mocked his father and opposed all that be believed him – and ironically left out those that stood side by side with him to his death.

"The irony of it all is that part of the invited guests to Sibanda's memorial shall be the likes of Thamsanqa Mahlangu whose route to parliament was through mocking Sibanda's stomach.

"In the same event, there shall be people who made a lot of money for themselves after composing an insulting song about Sibanda," he said.

Mahlangu won the Nkulumane House of Assembly seat against Sibanda after de-campaigning him saying:

"Akulanto angasenzela yona ngesisu sakhe esikhulu." (There is nothing he can do for us with his big tummy).

Whereas one of the most popular MDC T 2008 campaign songs done by the exiled Dread Reckless and Glenview North legislator ( now Harare Province Chairman) - had the lyrics :

"Famba Tsvangirai tiende X 5…..Ncube na Sibanda vakasara, takasiya dzichingokakavadzana nenyaya yokurwira utongi." (Forward Tsvangirai X 5 ...... Ncube and Sibanda were left, we left them fighting for leadership).

Mbuso failed to turn up for his mother and father's funerals in 2003 and 2010 respectively for unknown reasons.

He has stayed overseas since the mid-90s and has failed to acquire any properties for himself to the extent that even after his return he has been staying at his father's place in Woodlands, Bulawayo and driving the cars that his father got as Member of Parliament and shortly co-minister of national healing.

Even at his father's rural home koMcondo, he does not have a mud hut.