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Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe People’s First (ZimPF) party has been slammed for failing to spell isiNdebele names after it pasted posters with wrongly spelt words in Bulawayo. Leading to its star rally at Stanley Square in Makokoba on Saturday, ZimPF put up posters all over the city with wrongly spelt isiNdebele words.Read one poster: “Bhaki beZimbabwe ngokuthula . . . Bhaki iZimbabwe thatha,” instead of Bakhi beZimbabwe ngokuthula…bakhi iZimbabwe . . . (peaceful builders of Zimbabwe . . .)
Analysts said ZimPF’s failure to consult isiNdebele speakers is evidence that they have no respect for the people whose vote they are courting. The analyst said it was shocking that the party disregards a people’s language, an important factor in cultural identity.
Social commentator Mr Cont Mhlanga said ZimPF’s mistakes showed that they would not work to address the issues affecting the people of Matabeleland. “They’re taking people for granted. You can’t expect someone who fails to respect a people’s language to want to lead them.
“Their conduct shows that they won’t care about the concerns of people they want to lead. If they failed to consult the people on their language will they bother addressing issues affecting the local people?” asked Mr Mhlanga.
He said ZimPF’s failure to write correct spellings was in violation of the country’s constitution which recognises 16 languages. National University of Science and Technology’s (Nust) director of marketing and public relations Mr Felix Moyo said it did not make sense that a political party that wants to have a national appeal fails to consult.
“It simple means that they don’t care about people and they don’t take them seriously. Does it mean they don’t have isiNdebele speaking people within their ranks that they could have consulted?” asked Mr Moyo.
ZimPF spokesperson Mr Methuseli Moyo said the party was shouldering the blame for the isiNdebele spelling boob. He, however, said the party, which is operating on a shoe string budget, did not have funds to redo the posters.
“On behalf of the party, I express sincere regret and apologise to the people of Matabeleland. We fully appreciate their anger. “A people’s language defines who they are and ZimPF fully understands that and there was no malice whatsoever on the part of the person who made the spelling mistake,” said Mr Moyo.
He said it was regrettable that the spelling error was made by someone who printed posters without referring them to party members for proof reading. Mr Moyo said the issue of misspelling of isiNdebele names was a national concern which needs to be addressed as it had not started with ZimPF.
The poorly attended ZimPF rally was addressed by its leader former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru.
Online Reporter