One Giant Step for ZAPU

Today on the 29th October 2014 a group of ZAPU Officials converged in London to officially open the ZAPU offices in the heart of London, on City Road just a stone throw away from the famous Old Street train station and just opposite the Crown House. The ZAPU Offices are located at 152 Kemp House a historic, gigantic and magnificent building in London.

Mr Christopher Maphosa the ZAPU Europe Chairperson started the opening ceremony by welcoming the people and explaining how the Office came about. "London is the central hub of the world activity, be it business or politics and as ZAPU we intend to utilise both and the strategic opening of this office in this City is one clear indication of ZAPU's seriousness as a political player in Zimbabwe" Mr Maphosa said. "We intend to be pacesetters in the political field and dictate the political discourse, rather than allowing ZANU PF to have free reign whereby it sets the political trend in Zimbabwe" Mr Maphosa continued.

Mr Arthur Molife, the ZAPU Europe vice chairperson was also in attendance and emphasised the need to stay the course regardless of challenges along the way. "The trajectory which the Party is embarking on is the right trajectory, but it does not mean that obstacles will not be encountered, ZAPU will skilfully manoeuvre the ship to the final destination" Mr Molife said.

The main speaker and the person who officially opened the office by cutting the ribbon was Dr Ralph Mguni, the Secretary General of ZAPU. Dr Mguni had travelled all the way from East Sussex to London to officiate in the ceremony. Dr Mguni thanked the Regional Office and ZAPU Europe for making this a 'reality'. He also read a message from the Presidency which came from Mr Isaac Mabuka the Chairperson of the National People's Council (NPC). The NPC is the legislative organ of ZAPU and it is highest decision making body outside the National People's Congress.

"I have often told people than ZAPU will never die, ZAPU is deeply ingrained in people's hearts, ZAPU's spirit can be located in three different types of people, that is the hippo-generation, this generation consists of the old guard and their loyalty to ZAPU is unwavering, they have gone through tribulations with ZAPU and they will never know or have another political home besides ZAPU; secondly, we have the middle-generation, which comprises of those whose survival needs may have seen them joining other political organisations and they form the core of those organisations and lastly, we have the cheetah-generation, a generation of young persons, which is radical, astute, transparent and prepared to take control of their own lives" Dr Mguni said.

"All these people are coming back home to ZAPU, they are the embodiment of ZAPU values and principles' which Mugabe and his cronies have dismally failed to 'kill'" Dr Mguni explained.

There were many solidarity messages from many different organs of the Party and throughout the world, including the one from Mr D. Mpondo the Diaspora Regional Treasurer, who said that "There is no achievement that is more than the opening of an office. The Office which will be the source of identity and progress"
"It's wonderful to learn that the Regional Office will be opening on the 29th October and I will be amiss if I fail to convey our deep felt congratulations to our sister Province of Europe for a job well done.

Operating and conducting business in an office conveys a message of professionalism to potential clients and party members" reads part of the message from Mr Ocean Mlaga, the NEC representative in Canada.

The ZAPU office is now open for business; however, like all other modern offices it operates on the basis of appointments.  The following are the contact details for the office: Address: Kemp House; 152-160 City Road; LONDON; EC1V 2NX. Tel: 0203 1953 828.

Meanwhile ZAPU is engaged in other activities such as the rally which is being organised by Matobo District in conjunction with the Province for the 5th November 2014 and will be held at Sontala in Matabeleland South. A high powered delegation of the party hierarchy will be in full force to address the rally.

ZAPU looks buoyant, while ZANU Pf looks in disarray as evidenced by the internal strife between the Mujuru faction and the Mnangagwa faction. Jonathan Moyo accurately characterised ZANU pf as a shelf party, a party belonging to the dustbin of history. It appears ZAPU is ready to take the process of the liberation struggle to its rightful conclusion now.

Released by Zapu The Information, Publicity and Marketing Department.
Email: zapuinformteam@gmail.com