By Staff Reporter
Zapu president Dumiso Dabengwa has rubbished a Zimbabwe Independent story headlined “Mugabe Courts Dabengwa for VP post” in which it was claimed he said “we would have no problems” going back to Zanu PF.
According to the story President Robert Mugabe is dangling the second vice-presidency carrot to Dabengwa so that his party can return and work with Zanu PF to “consolidate the gains of independence and the spirit of unity.”
But in a statement sent to Nehanda Radio, Dabengwa said a press release Zapu issued on the 29th of December “makes it clear that ZAPU would never return into the Unity Accord arrangement.”
“In this telephonic interview with their Elias Mambo (Zimbabwe Independent), I explained to him that Zapu had responded to the challenge to Zapu members and others to return to Zanu.
“ZAPU, and I personally, did not send this response to the ruling party offices or any other official channels. We used the same method they had laid down the challenge on, the public media.
“I further emphasised that our response had only been published – in full – on page 8 of the 30 December edition of the Southern Eye newspaper. I also clarified that there had never been any formal approach made by Zanu to us, except what we read in the media.”
“I explained that in our response to the Press utterances by Zanu and its acolytes, we had set clear parameters and I had no wish to distort them by further comment. Those in Zanu wishing to engage us in any discussions would have to take them into account before approaching us.”
“Please note that there have been no formal approaches except what seem to be challenges issued in the media. I never said that “we would have no problems” going back to Zanu, those are mere figments of a very fertile and hostile imagination,” Dabengwa said.
Dabengwa left Zanu PF in 2008 to revive Zapu together with the likes of the late Thenjiwe Lesabe and Welshman Mabhena, all former PF-Zapu, although others like current national chairperson Simon Khaya Moyo and the late vice-president John Nkomo remained in Zanu PF.
