OPPOSITION Zapu has pushed its elective congress to August
next year, where the party will elect its substantive leader following the
death of Dumiso Dabengwa in May.
Zapu had initially earmarked early next year for the
holding of its elective congress, but a cash squeeze amid the ongoing harsh
economic climate had reportedly forced the party to push it to August — funds
permitting.
Dabengwa passed on in Nairobi, Kenya, on May 23 en route to
Zimbabwe after undergoing treatment in India.
He was declared a national hero, but was buried at his
family graveyard in Ntabazinduna, Matabeleland North province.
Zapu acting president Isaac Mabuka made the disclosure
after the party’s national people’s council on Saturday that the congress would
focus on leadership renewal.
“We are going to hold our elective congress in August next
year. Zapu is one party which does not have external donors. We rely solely on
our individual donors. Resources are pivotal in the preparation of the congress
and as such efforts are underway to raise resources for the congress,” Mabuka
said, adding that he would not be contesting for any post.
“The party is, however, emphasising on leadership renewal.”
Zapu had already begun a process of retiring its old guard
from leadership positions to pave way for young blood as part of a renewal and
rebranding exercise following a string of election losses.
Mabuka is leading the party’s renewal and rebranding
process.
Zapu’s old guard will be redeployed to the party’s council
of elders — a structure which is common in several political parties in Africa
and elsewhere in the world — to guide the party’s ideological and policy
agenda, among others.
“We will only allow campaigning after the holding of
provincial elections set for April. Our fear is that if we allow campaigning
now, aspiring candidates might influence the outcome of the provincial
elections so that they will have an unfair advantage at the congress,” Mabuka
said.
Several people, including the party’s incumbent
secretary-general Strike Mkandla, treasurer-general Mark Mbaiwa and
spokesperson Iphithule Maphosa, are reportedly eyeing Dabengwa’s post.
The party’s losing candidate in the recently held Mangwe
parliamentary by-election, Mathew Sibanda, is also reportedly interested in
taking over from Dabengwa. Newsday
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