Sibangalizwe, the president of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) and son of the late vice president Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, has prevented the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) from holding an all-night gala in honour of his father at his ancestral home in Kezi, Matebeleland South.
Speaking at the party’s star rally in Bulawayo, Sibangalizwe accused ZANU-PF of exploiting his father’s name to gain support for the upcoming elections. He also expressed concern about the cultural significance of holding all-night events, which are associated with witchcraft and often result in the littering of the area with used condoms and drug paraphernalia. He said:
Zanu-PF wanted to hold a pungwe (all-night) gala at the late vice president Nkomo’s homestead at St Joseph in Maphisa. I stopped that nonsense because in our culture holding such events during the night is tantamount to witchcraft. In the past, we have also seen used condoms, empty containers of the illicit and lethal njengu scattered all over after such events.
Sibangalizwe further announced that ZAPU would not be fielding a presidential candidate in the forthcoming elections, in order to focus its resources on parliamentary candidates in Matebeleland and Midlands provinces.
He encouraged supporters to vote for non-corrupt and non-violent candidates, while urging the party’s polling agents to safeguard ballot boxes diligently. He said:
On MPs and councillors, please vote for our candidates but for the presidential candidate use your discretion to vote for a candidate who is not a thief and murderer. We also do not want our youths to be given drugs and engage in violence.
He also appealed to the party’s supporters not to engage in violence or drug use. He also implored the party’s polling agents to protect the ballot boxes vigilantly, likening the task to guarding a corpse. Although the party does not currently have the financial means to pay its agents, Nkomo assured them that they would be paid as soon as possible. The rally was attended by various party supporters and candidates from all over the country.