Zapu Congress flops due to cash problems

ZAPU leader Dumiso Dabengwa on Thursday said financial challenges had forced his party to reschedule its second elective congress, which was due last month to the end of year.

ZAPU leader Dumiso Dabengwa on Thursday said financial challenges had forced his party to reschedule its second elective congress, which was due last month to the end of year.

BY NQOBANI NDLOVU

Dabengwa told journalists at his party offices in Bulawayo that the country’s liquidity crisis had also affected the opposition’s other activities.

“Zapu is a people’s party and it depends on those people for contributions. We don’t get funding from anyone, but we rely on contributions from our members,” he said.

“The amounts (contributions) are so insignificant that they are not able to satisfy all the party’s requirements.

“Because our congress was due in August and because of the state of affairs regarding our finances, the NPC (Zapu National People’s Council) met and decided that the congress date be moved to December.”

Dumiso Dabengwa
Dumiso Dabengwa
Dabengwa called on all political parties, including Zanu PF, to urgently organise a national dialogue to brainstorm on solutions to the economic crisis facing the country.

“As Zapu, we call on all stakeholders to come together for dialogue on a way forward before the country grinds to a halt,” he said.

“We have not formally approached them (Zanu PF), but we have informally talked to colleagues in government on the need for a national dialogue to find solutions facing this country.

“We know that Zanu PF is ashamed to admit defeat … come to the table as (late former Rhodesian Prime Minister) Ian Smith did and let us build the country together, just as we defeated oppression together side-by-side.”

Disenchanted with the situation in the country, Dabengwa spearheaded the withdrawal of a number of former Zapu members from Zanu PF.

However, the party has found the going tough in the country’s political terrain and are yet to win a single electoral seat.