adminMncedisi Buhali Sunday News Reporter
A CHIEF, his administrator, a headman and a former councillor from Mbembesi in Umguza District, who were MDC-T officials, have defected to Zanu-PF after openly declaring in front of hundreds of villagers that they had now “seen the light”.
Acting chief Bongani Masoka, his administrator Usebert Mkomazi, Headman Timothy Majola and former councillor Bonile Hadebe, who all along have been major Zanu-PF critics, recently joined the revolutionary party during one of its cell verification programes in Umguza Ward 3.
Zanu-PF Ward 3 chair Cde Vethi Tshuma, said Chief Masoka was an MDC-T council candidate in 2005.
“Chief Masoka was the major critic of Zanu-PF, but we are happy today that he has realised that there is no other party other than Zanu-PF. Now he is going to champion the integrity of the party, and hence it will grow stronger and stronger,” he said.
The defectors were welcomed to the revolutionary party by senior party officials in the district including Cde Moses Moyo the district co-ordinator, Cde Paul Mthimkhulu district administrator, and visiting observer Cde Martin Zinyoro, a Central Committee member from Masvingo province.
Chief Masoka said he realised that he had been lost all along and could not continue to stray.
“I have seen that, ukube ngihlezi egangeni ngilahlekisa abantu akuncedi (staying in the bush and leading people astray does not help). So I have decided to join others. I have corrected my mistakes and I am now seeing the light,” said Chief Masoka.
His adiministrator, Mr Mkomazi said he could not stand “outside the house” while the chief was inside.
“I have also clearly seen the light, I am joining the party,” he said.
What was supposed to be just a cell verification meeting was turned into an event of jubilation as the “lost sheep” were received back home.
This comes after reports that an MDC-T councillor and 75 MDC-T supporters in Gwanda defected to Zanu-PF after openly denouncing the opposition party as useless.
Speaking during the function, Cde Moyo said he felt grateful to President Mugabe for affording them the chance to do cell restructuring programmes because with it, so many people had seen the light and joined the party.
“We believe that we should uphold traditional leaders, as our President does in his home area. We believe that this will bring more people and will make us grow stronger and stronger,” he said.
“In all these wards we have not seen this, that actually a major critic of the party may turn back and rejoin the party.”
Cde Zinyoro thanked the district saying: “You have worked so hard that people who are outside and who have been criticising the party have now seen that home is always Zanu-PF.”
Zanu-PF Matabeleland North provincial chairperson Cde Richard Moyo commended the chief and other defectors for coming out openly in support of Zanu-PF.
“I am very happy with what these men did. Actually, it’s not at Mbembesi alone where this is happening but quite a number of chiefs in this region are now taking steps to join the party. So let them come, we will receive them and we then move in the same direction,” he said.
Online Reporter