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- Written by: Michael Sibangilizwe Nkomo
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A Disaster We Saw Coming
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Despite all the early warning signs, outcry from the general public, and premonition from ZAPU, about the dangers and senselessness of conducting an illegal, flawed and one-sided programme meant to address the Gukurahundi Genocide, President Emmerson Mnangagwa in his typical arrogant and narcissist style proceeded to commission, bless and assign the Chiefs of Matabeleland South and North – probably against their will and wisdom – to preside over a project that was clearly set to fail.
The commencement of the project was postponed several times due to lack of resources, so we were told, and that alone was indicative of challenges that lay ahead. Then there is the question of willingness, preparedness and qualification of the Chiefs to participate in this exercise. In our view, the ideal player would have been a neutral and independent entity/persons because, for starters, Chiefs lack autonomy due to their dependency on the state for their welfare and are most likely to be biased towards the ruling party as they are often viewed as aligned to ZANU PF. Besides, the Chiefs may be used by government to promote its own agenda rather than sincerely addressing the concerns of the communities as we shall point out bellow. The question arises as to whether the Chiefs have a genuine desire to promote healing, reconciliation and justice.
As reports trickle in from both Matabeleland South and North there are indications that the exercise is facing stiff resistance and apathy from the targeted communities which appear to have been preselected. There are reports that several meetings across the two Provinces have been cancelled due to lack of attendance either by communities or the Chiefs and their teams simply not showing up citing lack of resources. There are disturbing reports of elderly women collapsing to the ground wailing in pain even as the process starts, stating that they are being reminded of the Gukurahundi era. It is obvious a more sensitive and professional approach is needed. There are reports that the Chief's rapporteurs at several meetings blocked villagers from asking pertinent questions. Rapporteurs are reported to have taken down names and addresses of those who did not speak in public. There is a case where a certain Chief allegedly forced his subjects to attend the meetings or risk the unleashing of a new wave of Gukurahundi.
Since last week we have seen figures in the media purporting to be representative of the attendance of villagers in the two Provinces respectively. What is worrisome are the similarities in figures released last week of 5,000 for each province, which raises questions of authenticity given the resistance from community members and the outreach teams’ haphazard approach. To add to the suspicion, the figures are not accompanied by a progress report. Why?
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- Written by: Ruth Memeza Ncube, ZAPU Deputy Secretary General
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ZAPU: A Party Delayed But Not Derailed
Power to the People — and One Day, that Power Will Ring True {Click here or the Photo to see Press Release PDF}
ZAPU is not, intrinsically, a poor party. To label it as such is an insult — not only to the party but to the memory of its visionaries, the strength of its people, and the sacrifices made in pursuit of justice and freedom. In the early 1980s, ZAPU stood as a beacon of strategic leadership. Its investments in property, infrastructure, and human capital weren’t mere party assets — they were the foundations of a future nation-state. ZAPU was already operating as a government in exile, with systems in place that any rising nation would envy.
This was no accident. It was leadership. It was foresight. It was nation-building in its purest form.
But then came betrayal.
ZANU PF knew the threat ZAPU posed — not militarily, but structurally, intellectually, and economically. ZANU knew that a resourced ZAPU was a government-in-waiting. And so, the strategy became clear:
weaken ZAPU at its roots. Strip it of its economic base. Confiscate properties. Steal farms. Dismantle enterprises. Erase legacies. One by one, the ZAPU dominoes began to fall — not through failure, but through calculated sabotage.
And when economic sabotage was not enough, terror was unleashed.
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- Written by: Michael Sibangilizwe Nkomo
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CONDOLENCE MESSAGE: 7 June 2025
It is with profound sorrow and sadness that we received the news of the untimely passing on of former Zambian President, Edgar Chagwa Lungu, who passed away on the 5th of June in South Africa. President Lungu served as the sixth president of Zambia from January 2015 to August 2021. Under President Michael Sata, he served as Minister of Justice and Minister of Defense.
A patriotic Zambian, President Lungu served his country in various capacities and contributed to the entrenchment of democracy in Zambia. The peaceful transfer of power from President Lungu to the current President Hakainde Hichilema in 2021, restored hope for peace and stability in SADC, against the backdrop of the 2017 military coup that we witnessed in Zimbabwe.
ZAPU mourns with the people of Zambia during this period of national bereavement and reflection. Our ZPRA cadres and political refugees received immeasurable support from Zambia, under President Kenneth Kaunda, during our Second Chimurenga/Umvukela struggle for independence. We will forever be indebted to the people of Zambia for their sacrifices in support of our liberation war effort.
