BY NQOBANI NdLOVU
THE discord in Zapu continues to rage on with the opposition party’s South Africa-based youth wing attacking the party leadership over alleged ineptitude and poor organisation ahead of its elective congress.
The youths also rapped the party’s leaders for ring-fencing the position of secretary-general.
Zapu’s elective congress was initially scheduled for April, but was postponed to August because of COVID-19 restrictions on public gatherings. The party is also bogged down by financial challenges.
The congress was principally necessitated by the death of its president Dumiso Dabengwa in 2019.
The youths claimed the party’s woes owed to poor leadership by the old guard.
They nominated their former leader and current international relations secretary Fortune Msebele for the post of secretary general.
The post is currently held by Strike Mnkandla, who has expressed interest to run for the presidency.
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“On the issue of the incoming leadership, we had very robust decisions and we had to look at what the party needs at the moment. We looked at the problems the party is facing and we thus realised that even if we take Barack Obama or Nelson Mandela or even Joshua Nkomo to be the party president our problems will remain the same,” Zapu’s South Africa provincial chairperson Lindani Nkomo said in a statement.
“We then looked at the position of secretary general or secretary of administration which play a pivotal and very critical role of running the organisation on a day to day basis and most importantly coordination of the party which we are lacking at the moment. For this position, we are supporting Msebele.”
When contacted for comment, Msebele said: “Our party is at a crossroads and a lot is at stake. We have seen other political parties splitting after congresses, Zapu should remain united and I believe we still have time to negotiate and reach consensus leadership. We should all be guided by the principle that the party comes first.”
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