Political Reporter
Wide cracks have emerged within ZAPU with members embroiled in serious factional fights ahead of the 2023 elections.
A source who spoke to this publication said that there was chaos at ZAPU offices in Bulawayo last Saturday with disgruntled members protesting and demanding the ouster of party leader, Sibangilizwe Nkomo.
“There was chaos at the party office last Saturday with disgruntled members led by Matebeleland South Chairperson, Mathew Sibanda demanding the ouster of Nkomo as the party leader. Nkomo is being accused of being a dictator and illegally assuming the party presidency. Angry members were demanding the dissolution of Nkomo’s executive and the reconvening of the congress to re-elect substantive leadership,” said the source.
Sibangilizwe, who is son to the late ZAPU founder, the late former Vice-President Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, was also accused of embezzling party funds and being a womaniser, thereby bringing the name of that party into disrepute.
According to the source, instead of addressing the concerns of protestors, Nkomo responded by suspending five party members and threatened to expel them for good from ZAPU.
“Instead of addressing the concerns of the disgruntled members, Nkomo responded by suspending five senior members including Sibanda whom he accused of inciting members to protest. He threatened to expel them from the party unless they apologise to him,” added the source.
The source further claimed that Nkomo was abusing his relationship with the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo to grab the presidency from some deserving members.
The source added that Nkomo’s faction comprised of party spokesperson, Mso Ndlovu and deputy spokesperson, Brian Barack Ncube. He said the faction was terrorising everyone who is opposed to Nkomo’s leadership.
Meanwhile, ZAPU held its elective congress last year in October with six candidates jostling for the presidency. The elective congress was meant to elect new leadership following the death of that party leader, Dumiso Dabengwa. Sibangilizwe outwitted other presidential hopefuls to become the presidency, however, his term was rocked by protests as some members continue to claim that he was never a member of ZAPU, despite him being the son of Joshua Nkomo.
