By Paul Nyathi
Struggling Nkosana Moyo led Alliance for People’s Agenda opposition party has been hit by an inevitable split in its Bulawayo province structures.
Members of the party’s Bulawayo Province left the party over the weekend to establish a new political set up called the Independent Bulawayo 40 (IB40.)
The provincial executive members resigned from the party to set up their seperate unit claiming that Moyo lacked political acumen to campaign in the election and denying them campaign funds and material ahead of this year’s general elections.
The nine provincial executive committee members who are initiating the new political movement tendered their resignation to APA immediately announcing their intention to stand elections seperate from the party.
“We also renounce our candidature under the APA ticket in the upcoming 2018 elections. The reasons for us departing from the party are; there is value in being an independent candidate, more in touch with the electorate on the ground, lack of party funding for candidates, no clear structure within the party especially at national level, no clear road map for the election campaign,” part of the letter read.
“It has been a pleasure and a joy working with people who have a heart and a conviction for a new Great Zimbabwe! We greatly appreciate the leadership and the guidance afforded to us from the party. We wish you and the party all the best in the upcoming elections.”
Those who resigned are provincial secretary-general, Nkosana Mkandla, Mduduzi Ndlovu (organising secretary), Nhlanhla Moyo, Natasha Karimakwenda (youth secretary-general) , Johane Marufu (committee member, disability), an AC Gula-Ndebele (elections strategist national youth wing), Nqobizitha Mabhena (chairperson, Matabeleland North) and Dave Ncube (a member).
Ncube, the IB40 interim chair, confirmed the development yesterday.
“IB40 isn’t a political party, but a movement for independent candidates under the age of 40 running for council seats in Bulawayo. This movement was formed after the realisation that party politics have failed to deliver proper service delivery with councillors more preoccupied with keeping their political positions as opposed to the expectations of the people,” he said.
“Independent candidates have their mandate only to the people of Bulawayo and as such will focus more on the service delivery. IB40 will contest in the 2018 elections for council seats.”
Other IB40 interim leaders are Mabhena, as co-ordinator, Mkandla (vice-co-ordinator), Marufu (strategist), Ndlovu (secretary-general), Karimakwenda (treasurer), and Gula-Ndebele as spokesperson.
“What we stand for are local jobs to be given to local people and separation of council business from party business. We need a clear separation between the city of Bulawayo and Bulawayo City Council, non-partisan residents’ association. We are residents first before being political beings, service delivery affects all of us despite our political association,” Ncube said.
“We need a united residents’ association, non-partisan ward development committees, to establish ward development committees involving all stake holders in the community including, police, teachers, health workers residents to tackle developmental issues in the community, to frequent ward feedback meetings, councillors to conduct frequent feedback meetings on council business, and questions and answers sessions.”