The ruling
party is accusing the Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and
Technology Development deputy minister of making remarks that bring the image
of the party into disrepute.
On Monday this
week, the Matabeleland North disciplinary committee chairperson Silas Maligo
wrote to Sibanda indicating that he was being charged with alleged acts of
misconduct after making remarks that violate the party’s constitution.
Maligo accused
Sibanda of engaging in a conduct which is contrary to the interest, ethos and
integrity of the party, with the potential to bring its name into disrepute.
Sibanda is
alleged to have refused to co-operate with the district co-ordinating committee
(DCC) and was accused of creating parallel structures.
“Your behaviour
has the potential to provoke division, disunity or impact negatively on the
unity of the party by creating and promoting your own parallel structures,”
Maligo said.
“You
dissociated yourself from Zanu PF in social media platforms, including social
media platforms that are anti-Zanu PF like the Bubi Community Parliament in
which platform you categorically stated that you do not represent Zanu PF in
Parliament, but you only stood for Zanu PF during the August 2023 harmonised
elections and thereafter you ceased to represent it.
“You use the
Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme and the resultant business units as your
own initiative as evidenced by your commissioning these boreholes without
involvement of the party leadership, thus disrespecting the authority of the
DCC.”
Maligo accused
Sibanda of using his parliamentary position to his advantage by presenting
laptops from the ICT ministry to secondary schools as if they were his own.
The deputy
minister is also accused of making disparaging utterances against the party and
its leadership, in the process allegedly embarrassing the DCC leadership in
public and social media.
Maligo said the
disciplinary committee established by the provincial executive council meeting
held on Sunday noting the alleged acts of misconduct raised by the Bubi DCC
against Sibanda issued the prohibition order which took effect from August 24
this year until the case is determined by the relevant disciplinary committees.
Sibanda was
barred from exercising the duties of a DCC member, entering the Matabeleland
North provincial offices, including entering or accessing Zanu PF offices. He
was also prohibited from attending Zanu PF meetings or gatherings.
Maligo said the
provincial disciplinary committee would conduct a hearing on November 19 at
party offices.
Sibanda was
requested to respond to the allegations within 21 days.
Sibanda, who is
a member of Bubi Community Parliament, yesterday said he was not aware of the
prohibition order.
In July last
year, President Emmerson Mnangagwa fired Sibanda from his ministerial position,
but reinstated him weeks later after he offered “profuse apologies”.
Sibanda faced
fierce backlash following his decision to transfer an early childhood
development teacher from Bubi district for alleged lack of proficiency in the
isiNdebele language. Newsday
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