Joshua Nkomo’s son set to be barred from contesting ZAPU presidency

By Nyashadzashe Ndoro | Nehanda Politics |

The late Vice President Joshua Nkomo’s son, Sibangilizwe Nkomo is on the verge of being barred from contesting for the presidency of the opposition Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) following a resolution that only members that have served the party for five years or more are capable of running for the top post.

ZAPU is set to hold its elective congress in October following the death of party president Dumiso Dabengwa in Kenya two years ago while flying home from India where he had been receiving treatment.

Sibangilizwe joined the party this year and he is contesting for the party’s Presidential post.

But in what seemingly is a plan to stop Nkomo, the National People’s Council, the party’s highest decision-making organ in between congresses, met last week and resolved that only members that served the party for five years are capable of running for the top post.

“At the end of the meeting of the National People’s Council (NPC) held on 11 September 2021, the President acceded to urgent requests to review and rescind the standing decision that requires aspirants for President to have at least five years and those for National Executive Committee (NEC) to have at least three years as party members.

“The President set a special meeting for the review to take place on Saturday 18 September 2021. Lively discussion and debate took place among NPC members clustered in Bulawayo, Harare, Britain (UK), USA, and South Africa. This was followed by voting overseen by the National Council of Elders (NCOE),” read a statement released by the party’s Secretary General Strike Mkandla, yesterday.

Several candidates including the party’s incumbent Secretary General, Mkandla, Treasurer General Mark Mbaiwa and Sibangilizwe are vying for the party’s presidency which fell vacant following the death of Dabengwa who died on May 23, 2019. Nehanda Radio