Zanu PF bigwigs fight over microphone at congress

By Lance Guma
17 December 2007

What was meant to be a smooth sailing endorsement of Robert Mugabe at the recent Zanu PF congress, degenerated into a farce after National Chairman John Nkomo blocked war veterans leader Jabulani Sibanda from addressing delegates. The event captured live by ZBC television saw a visibly irate Nkomo telling Sibanda, ‘You! You are the problem. Stay away from the table.’

Trouble started when war veteran’s deputy leader Joseph Chinotimba thanked Sibanda for organising a march in support of Mugabe’s candidacy. He then called Sibanda to the podium so that delegates could salute him for his work. As the war veteran’s leader walked up to the podium, Nkomo moved swiftly to block him and then ordered him to sit down. The Zanu PF chairman chaired a disciplinary committee that suspended Sibanda from the party in 2004 for his role in the infamous Tsholotsho meeting, that allegedly plotted to install Emerson Mnangagwa as Vice President.

Loud heckling and jeering could be heard at the City Sports Centre in Harare as the war veterans tried get their leader to the podium while Nkomo stood his ground. A furious Mugabe then grabbed the microphone from Nkomo and called for order. The noise went on for a further minute before tempers calmed down.
‘Chimurenga ichi. Hatidaro. Ngatiitei discipline. Ngatigarei pasi. Nyaya yaJabulani Sibanda tinoiziva tichaitaura pano. (This is a struggle. We don’t do that. Let’s be disciplined and sit down. We are aware of the Jabulani Sibanda issue and are going to discuss it), Mugabe said. The incident is said to highlight the internal divisions within the party and how Mugabe had to seek endorsement outside party structures using a suspended member.