ZAPU president Sibangilizwe Nkomo has dismissed the notion that the party had no support and could not win elections as it was stuck in the past and basking in yesteryear glory.
Nkomo, son of the late Vice-President Joshua, who was
elected Zapu president recently, made the statements at an event held to
celebrate the party’s 60th anniversary, recently.
Zapu was launched on December, 17, 1961.
Despite its rich history, Zapu has performed badly in
recent elections.
In 2019, the opposition party initiated a renewal and
rebranding exercise that sought to retire the old guard to pave way for young
blood.
“There is no doubt that there is no party with a past as glorious as that of Zapu. We have a rich history and that history is a serious heritage for our people. Some will tell us that we are stuck in the past when we tell the story of Zapu.
“It is not that we are stuck, we cannot afford to be,”
Nkomo said. Nkomo said Zapu would continue celebrating its past without shame.
“Had they (Zanu PF) not been jealous, they would not have confiscated our archives. They would not have killed the makers of that history in genocide. They would not be claiming the exploits of our fathers.
“They would not be embellishing their own history and they
would not use the State media to tell a one-sided story of Zimbabwe.”
Government seized properties and records belonging to
Zipra, the military wing of Zapu during the liberation struggle, after accusing
the opposition party of plotting to unseat it.
Among the seized records and materials are cassettes with
original recordings of Zapu war songs.
Nkomo added: “Our history has been dwarfing theirs since
the day we came back from the war. As a result, we will not keep quiet. Zapu
history is our legacy. Zapu history is our heritage.
“We will speak about our history because it is a clear
template of the values and ideals that we stand for.
“After fighting so hard for this country, it is a shame
that the country is in this State.” Newsday
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