The ruling ZANU PF is reportedly divided over the manner in which the party leadership conferred the hero statuses on Absolom Sikhosana and Brigadier-General Crispen Masuku.
Masuku was only declared a national hero after his burial at Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo on Friday while the conferment of the same status on Sikhosana was made swift.
Sources close to the ongoings told NewsDay that the party politburo asked Bulawayo province to write a letter requesting for Masuku to be accorded the hero status, but the request was not made when Masuku died. The source said:
When Brig Gen Masuku died on Wednesday, the party was informed and asked the province to write a letter requesting that he be declared a national hero … They are now questioning why Sikhosana was given a special treatment on the national hero status ahead of Brig Gen Masuku who was senior to him.
Bulawayo Metropolitan Provincial Affairs minister, Judith Ncube, who is accused of ignoring Sikhosana who had called seeking help when was ill expressed ignorance over the alleged divisions.
The party’s secretary for administration, Obert Mpofu said that the process of declaring Masuku was delayed as he was a member of the Ministry of Defence adding that certain procedures had to be followed.
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