Ignorant Zimbabwe People First

The sentiments by ZimPF concerning ZAPU's just ended Congress make a worrisome reading to many people and ZAPU in particular. While it is a disgrace in our culture and Ubuntu to criticize in any way what happens at ones neighbor, ZAPU also does not understand the motive of the attack on both our President and the party's decision to re-elect him.

In its statement released by the party's Bulawayo Provincial Spokesperson Dr Geneva Sibanda, ZimPF likens our re-elected President Dabengwa to donkey meat as the party goes on to describe the choice by ZAPU "recycling of dead wood". Dr Sibanda goes on to liken ZAPU's choice of Dr Dabengwa to galvanizing old retreaded tyres in a scorching heat of an environment while we expect miracles.

Who told ZimPF that ZAPU is working for survival? How do they measure and separate survival to growth? Again, who advised ZimPF that ZAPU is a sinking ship? How does ZimPF quantify and qualify our leadership and whether or not they are sellable? How does ZimPF measure the level of seriousness on the part of ZAPU?

It is disheartening to realize that one of the possible partners in a broad coalition of opposition parties views ZAPU in such belittling manner. It is also disappointing to realize that ZimPF has deliberately chosen to disrespect the choice of leadership by the majority of ZAPU members. We wonder as a party as to why is it wrong for ZAPU to recycle its leadership within its laws and within confines of its party constitution?

ZAPU wonders why ZimPF has chosen to define and dictate democracy to us just as they fail to launch their party over a year after forming it and under two years to general elections?

 Is it conveniently deliberate that ZimPF does not understand that DEMOCRACY must be seen beyond the mere narrative of change? Is it by design that a party comprising of long serving politicians is only obsessed with new faces in leadership and not the will of the people making up respective parties?

Before ZimPF plays big sister to ZAPU, they should remember that Democracy, in one of its many intended objectives, advances the will of the majority in an entity.

The Majority of ZAPU members making up the just ended 8th Peoples Congress at Bulawayo's Amphitheatre chose Dr Dumiso Dabengwa to serve his second and last term in office of Party President. Instead of negatively criticizing us, ZimPF should try congratulating us for both a successful congress and adherence to the constitution and democratic processes.

 For them to liken him to donkey meat defeats the whole essence of brotherhood, posing a serious threat to the coalition initiative currently underway across the opposition political divide. Instead, ZimPF should copy and follow in our democratic footsteps and hold its own congress and let the people select their leaders the way ZAPU did this past week.

Iphithule kaMaphosa
Deputy National Spokesperson
Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU)