Dabengwa struggling to shack off Zanu PF tag
2012-09-17 09:06:00
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“There are some people that say Zapu is Mugabe. They say I am Mugabe’s proxy.
Zapu president and survivor of Gukurahundi Dumiso Dabengwa has described claims that he was a Zanu PF proxy as an insult to his own and his followers’ consciences as they had no intention of rejoining President Robert’s party because the two parties’ ideologies were irreconcilable.
Addressing party supporters at Sigangatsha, about 50km from Maphisa business centre in Matobo district on Saturday, Dabengwa said Zapu was a fully-fledged party.
“There are some people that say Zapu is (Robert) Mugabe. They say I am Mugabe’s proxy.
“That is an insult to me. In fact, I should not dignify that with a comment.I was never taught to be someone’s puppet,” said Dabengwa.
“You (Zapu members) are the ones who asked me to lead Zapu. I work with you every day and if I have been sent by Mugabe you will discover it.
“If you discover that it is true, you are free to remove me from the position of being your leader.”
Dabengwa said when Zapu was formed in 1962 to succeed the National Democratic Party (NDP) that had been proscribed by the colonial regime, the founders of the political organisation made acovenant with the “real owners of Zapu’’ that it would not die.
“Zapu came out of Zanu PF for good and will never go back. Zapu will not have a surname or be under any party. Never! Even alliances,” he said.
“It is a fully-fledged party on its own.But if one wants to be Zapu, the doors are open.”
He said the merger between Zanu PF and PF Zapu in 1987 following the signing of the Unity Accord was “circumstantial” and meant to end the Gukurahundi massacres.
“When we went into Zanu PF, it was because of the situation. It’s like when you are faced with a mad man wielding an axe, you don’t just confront him empty handed. That will be foolhardy,” Dabengwa said.
“You organise other people and you gather around the mad person and have some of you distract the mad person while others come from behind and disarm him.” - NewsDay
“There are some people that say Zapu is (Robert) Mugabe. They say I am Mugabe’s proxy.
“That is an insult to me. In fact, I should not dignify that with a comment.I was never taught to be someone’s puppet,” said Dabengwa.
“You (Zapu members) are the ones who asked me to lead Zapu. I work with you every day and if I have been sent by Mugabe you will discover it.
“If you discover that it is true, you are free to remove me from the position of being your leader.”
Dabengwa said when Zapu was formed in 1962 to succeed the National Democratic Party (NDP) that had been proscribed by the colonial regime, the founders of the political organisation made acovenant with the “real owners of Zapu’’ that it would not die.
“Zapu came out of Zanu PF for good and will never go back. Zapu will not have a surname or be under any party. Never! Even alliances,” he said.
“It is a fully-fledged party on its own.But if one wants to be Zapu, the doors are open.”
He said the merger between Zanu PF and PF Zapu in 1987 following the signing of the Unity Accord was “circumstantial” and meant to end the Gukurahundi massacres.
“When we went into Zanu PF, it was because of the situation. It’s like when you are faced with a mad man wielding an axe, you don’t just confront him empty handed. That will be foolhardy,” Dabengwa said.
“You organise other people and you gather around the mad person and have some of you distract the mad person while others come from behind and disarm him.” - NewsDay
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