adminIn an interview yesterday, Zanu-PF Deputy Secretary for Information and Publicity Ambassador Cain Mathema said the move by Dr Dabengwa was a direct insult to the late Vice President Dr Joshua Nkomo’s legacy.
“It is very wrong for Dabengwa to claim that they are the original Zapu.
“For someone to claim this is a direct insult to Dr Joshua Nkomo.”
Ambassador Mathema said the Unity Accord signed by President Mugabe and Dr Nkomo was binding and should not be broken. “The merger that was made between the two parties was done legally. The respective Central Committees of the two parties sat down and agreed to merge the two to form one party Zanu-PF and the Unity Accord was signed on 22 December 1987,” he said.
Ambassador Mathema warned people not to be fooled by Dr Dabengwa’s party as it was formed two years ago, not in 1961.
“We are not taking this lightly because they are clearly distorting history and we will not allow that.
“Why didn’t they air their objections when Dr Nkomo was alive? We condemn this act of trying to destroy the history of a glorious party,” he said.
Ambassador Mathema added that those who were former PF-Zapu in Zanu-PF were happy with being in the revolutionary party and were proud to be in it.
“Those of us who are in Zanu-PF and former PF-Zapu members are proud to be in the party and with the decision our leaders made. Allegations that we were forced are absurd,” he said.
Meanwhile, Cde Mathema, who is the Governor and Resident Minister of Bulawayo Metropolitan province, warned the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to desist from slashing maize planted by people as it would be seen as a direct attack on President Mugabe’s efforts through his the Presidential Well Wisher’s Input Scheme.
“People have received seed maize from President Mugabe and the council should stop this practise of slashing people’s maize at tasselling stage citing unacceptable reasons like they are trying to deter thieves,” he said.
Ambassador Mathema said he was tired of the city council’s act every year and it must stop forthwith.
derick.khumalo