Zapu: Press statement on defectors

On Sunday, 15 September 2013, we were informed of a function at which it was reported that a group of members from the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) were received as defectors to ZANU-PF.

At that point we were unable to comment to inquiries because there were no names concretely associated with this event and we did not want to speculate on who was involved and on their possible motivation.

In the press today, 16 September, there are names of two defectors (Mr. Effort Nkomo and Mrs. Tryphine Nhliziyo) and remarks attributed to them when they were paraded by ZANU-PF National Chairman Mr. Simon Khaya Moyo.

The report in the paper(s) refers to the two defectors as among "the party's senior leaders". This description is inaccurate because the two people in question have not been active members of ZAPU for a while, let alone occupying leadership at any level.

On 20 February 2012 Mr. Nkomo wrote to request that he be excused from his role in the National People's Council (NPC) because he was being offered an appointment to run a national charitable foundation. We are also aware that he was roped into a state-run environment trust. In the case of Mrs. Nhliziyo, she lost her position in the party, and has been low-key since 2010 because according to the report(s) she claims she was "despised" after doing good work for the party's revival. Most crucially (in our view) she indicates that in the end they "got nothing".

First and foremost both Mr. Effort Nkomo and Mrs. Tryphine Nhliziyo or any others who feel inclined to re-join or join ZANU-PF have a democratic right to do so whatever their motivation, stimulus or incentive. Our party is certainly not the right place to "get something" for individuals, because it is rebuilding from scratch and has had to operate under difficult conditions materially and in re-establishing its structures and setting up new ones.

Secondly, the defectors' reference to lack of direction is curious, given where the two former ZAPU members are headed, i.e. the ruling party. Their sense of direction is remarkably poor particularly since they have first-hand experience of the policy and governance failure that has decimated their city, Bulawayo.

Thirdly, it is implied in the report that there are numerous genuine members of our party waiting to defect. The current claim ranges from 50 to 200 depending on who is reporting. This exaggeration must be designed to portray an impending exodus of members itching to go and "eat". It runs in the face of and commendable determination shown by our members and supporters who defied the odds to field MP candidates in nearly one quarter of the seats nationally.

Forth, it is reliably reported Mr. Kennedy "Feya" Nyathi is among those who were in the defection event. This individual's case is significant because he joined our party from ZANU-PF after retiring from the Central Intelligence Organization (CIO). There are many who were not convinced that this gentleman had genuinely outgrown his background and was not fishing around for trouble. If the anonymous list contains more characters of that sort, it will be even less representative of our party membership.

Finally, ZAPU will not be distracted from its mission to achieve its founding goals, including equitable development and realization of full human rights.