Turn to God: Jabulani Sibanda

Politics
WAR veterans’ leader Jabulani Sibanda last week descended on Bulawayo Polytechnic College where he made a passionate plea to students to be patriotic and “to look up to God”.

WAR veterans’ leader Jabulani Sibanda last week descended on Bulawayo Polytechnic College where he made a passionate plea to students to be patriotic and “to look up to God”.

NQOBANI NDLOVU STAFF REPORTER

Sibanda visited the institution of higher learning on Wednesday afternoon for a three-hour “lecture” to students on the history of Zimbabwe, patriotism and the future of the country.

All students were reportedly forced to attend the lecture and none were allowed to leave until Sibanda finished his talk. Sibanda yesterday confirmed to Southern Eye that he had engaged Bulawayo Polytechnic students on patriotism last week.

“This is an ongoing programme where freedom fighters try to meet with every Zimbabwean and discuss the history of this country and where it is going,” he said.

“There is nothing peculiar about my visit and lecture at the Polytechnic on Wednesday.

“We have been meeting people from all spheres of life. We are having meetings with students, civil servants, doctors, traditional leaders, village heads and everyone in Zimbabwe.

“Our message is simple, we need to know where we come from and where we are going.

“We are also saying now is the time to look up to God and into ourselves to guarantee a stable future for us as Africans.”

Bulawayo Polytechnic acting principal Gilbert Mabasa requested questions in writing when asked whether his institution had invited the war veterans leader for the lecture. Sibanda said he was on a mission to convince Zimbabweans to value their independence.

“We want Zimbabweans to take a stand and say they can do it on their own,” he said.

“We want everyone to take a stand to say that we are a sovereign country and the future rests in our hands.

“We want to look into ourselves and agree that we stand together with one ideology.

“It’s a discipline that we want to instil in the minds of our people that we need not wait or stand by the opinions of foreigners.”

Zimbabwe National Students Union national spokesperson Avoid Masiraha yesterday said war veterans should not be allowed anywhere near tertiary institutions to avoid the politicisation of education.

“It is not proper. War veterans should not be allowed anywhere near colleges to lecture students.

“We do not want our education to be politicised.

“They have no business to be there,” he said.

Sibanda was at the forefront of Zanu PF campaigns in rural areas before last year’s elections.

Opposition parties accused him of leading terror campaigns — a charge he denied by calling on his accusers to provide evidence.

Sibanda was also at the forefront of organising the “one million men march” in 2007 to mobilise supporters to endorse President Robert Mugabe as Zanu PF presidential candidate.