Political Reporter
The opposition ZAPU party is poised for a split ahead of the 2023 plebiscite as the recently expelled senior members are contemplating forming a splinter political group.
A source who spoke to this publication said that there is turmoil in ZAPU after that party’s president; Sibangilizwe Nkomo expelled five senior members accusing them of insubordination and failing to adhere to that party’s constitution and procedures.
According to the source, the five members who were expelled are Strike Mkandla, Matthew Sibanda, Ernest Ndlovu, Mildred Mkandla and Akim Nkala. However the five members have described their expulsion as null and void and said that Nkomo is the one who should be expelled from that party.
Until their expulsion, Mkandla was the party’s secretary -general while Sibanda was the party’s Matebeleland South Province chairperson. Mildred Mkandla was that party‘s chairperson for the women’s assembly.
“ZAPU is embroiled in chaos as some senior party members are contemplating forming a splinter group. On Saturday, party president Nkomo expelled five senior members accusing them of insubordination and harbouring presidential ambitions. However, those who were expelled have refused to recognise their expulsion and are instead pushing for the ouster of Nkomo as that party’s president,” said the source.
The source added that the expelled members were also contemplating on forming another party that will be known as ZAPU Original and will contest in the 2023 Harmonised General elections.
“The five expelled members are also contemplating forming another party that will be known as ZAPU Original. The party will likely retain the yellow colours and the charging bull as its symbol. If they fail to form another party, they will likely challenge their expulsion in courts,” added the source.
Meanwhile, the expelled members were part of the group that challenged Nkomo’s candidature at the Bulawayo High Court ahead of that party’s elective congress last year in October. They later withdrew the court application after holding talks with Nkomo.
Efforts to get a comment from ZAPU spokesperson Msongelwa Ndlovu were futile as his mobile phones were not reachable.
