Poor election showing blamed on provincial leadership

Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter 

ZANU-PF Secretary General Cde Obert Mpofu yesterday read the riot act to leaders in Matabeleland North, hinting that the party’s disappointing showing in the province during the recent harmonised elections was due to individualism and divisive leadership from those occupying key positions. 

Cde Mpofu was speaking yesterday at a rally held in Umguza, Matabeleland North. The rally was meant to celebrate the party’s victories in the recent plebiscite. In an interview on the sidelines of the rally, Cde Mpofu said the actions of certain leaders had led to the alienation of some party members who decided to stay away from the election process. 

“People were setting up structures for their individual benefits and to satisfy their egos without regard for party processes and as a result a lot of people were disappointed. A lot of people that were sidelined during that process decided to stay away during elections but we are here to correct that. This was all done by people who thought they have power that they do not have,” he said. 

Cde Mpofu said the District Co-ordinating Committee (DCC) elections would allow the party to realign its structures and give leadership to deserving cadres. 

“The DCCs are due to end their terms soon because it is supposed to last for three years. When we do the restructuring of the party we will make sure that the DCC structures are done according to the rules of the party and not according to individuals’ expectations,” he said. 

In an explosive speech, Cde Mpofu said Mat North’s showing at the recent elections had brought embarrassment to the party’s national leadership. 

“The party in Mat North is now low to the extent that nationally as leadership we are embarrassed and that is because of power hungry leadership and that is not coming from the people that are being led but from leaders. We may pretend to like each other but there’s a lot of back-biting. Matabeleland North was a province that was respected and that was why I was given this position as the secretary general of the party which is a very important position. What has happened now is disheartening but I am happy that you  have not wavered and stayed on the right path,” he said. 

Speaking during the rally, the Member of Parliament for Tsholotsho South, Cde Musa Ncube asked Cde Mpofu to raise the issue of lack of development in farming areas in Tsholotsho South. Cde Ncube said attention needed to be focused on Ward 12 in particular, as villagers in the area were living in abject conditions. 

“The situation in Ward 12 is bad. The schools are derelict and they were not constructed with the future in mind. We are asking that the Forestry Commission formalise their stay there so that they can have a secure future because right now they cannot undertake any developments because they feel that they might be moved at any time,” she said.