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Morgan Tsvangirai-led party to look for allies to help it tackle Zanu-PF at the polls. Of late there has been talk of a coalition bringing together the MDC-T, MDC, Mavambo Kusile Dawn, Zapu and Zanu Ndonga. Our senior reporter Fortious Nhambura (FN) caught up with Zanu- Ndonga president Mr Wilson Khumbula (WK) to talk about this and other issues.    

FN: Could you please start by telling our readers who is Wilson Khumbula?
WK: Wilson Khumbula is a war veteran, an ex-detainee and the president of Zanu Ndonga party. I am a member of the original Zanu formed in 1963.  During the war I worked with Maurice Nyagumbo in recruiting cadres for the liberation struggle.

For this role I was arrested in 1975 and sentenced to 10 years in prison. I served my time at Harare Central Prison and was released in an amnesty under the 1978 Internal Settlement. I was again rearrested that same year and sentenced to six years in prison.

I was sent to Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison to do my time. I was only released again by an amnesty during the Lancaster House talks. You know that there was only one Zanu until the wrangles between President Mugabe and Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole over leadership of the party.

After the split I remained in Zanu under Rev Sithole and I am still in that party.
We contested the elections as Zanu with the symbol of “Mwenje” in 1980 but changed it to Ndonga in 1985. We have contested all the elections since 1980 and will continue to do so under that symbol.

FN: You contested before as a presidential candidate, why have you gone quiet? What is going on?
WK: I have not been quiet. Yes, in this election I am not contesting in presidential elections but as a Member of Parliament for Chipinge South and I will win that seat. Zanu Ndonga as a party has filed candidates in parliamentary and council elections and will surely do well.

FN: There is talk of your party going into a coalition with the MDC-T, MDC, Zapu and MKD. Can you tell our readers, why a coalition?
WK: Zanu Ndonga is not part of the proposed grand coalition. That has never been our intention and will never be. It’s a figment of the minds of those who wish that we join the coalition.

FN:  But your national chairman Reketayi Semwayo says plans are afoot for you to enter into the coalition against Zanu-PF. Is there discord in the party?
WK: There is no discord. That Semwayo has never held any rank in the party, Zanu Ndonga. He was just one of Reverend Sithole’s drivers. He was sacked after stealing money from one of the party members.

After the death of Rev Sithole he went and worked for the late Professor Masipula Sithole again as a driver.  He is trying to trade the party for a position in MDC-T.  He is aware that most of Sithole and Zanu Ndonga’s supporters come from Chipinge and is using the name of the party to seek relevance.

He is being used by Tsvangirai to get the vote of the people of Chipinge but that will fail. We have no intention of entering into any pact with anyone.
That is why we have fielded more than 20 candidates to contest as Members of Parliament and over 40 as councillors. You can check with ZEC whether that is true or not. If you look at that list of candidates of the party, Semwayo is nowhere near those who have been registered to represent us.

He does not represent the party or anyone. The future of the party is very good. Yes, we had an informal agreement with Mavambo Kusile Dawn before but we have since moved out. We thought Dr Makoni was serious and would come up with a single candidate until we found out that Makoni had an inclination with the MDC. I then told Dr Makoni that we cannot work together anymore and we parted ways.

FN: Do you share a similar ideology or vision with any of the four parties? If yes, why didn’t you realise this over the years?
WK: No, not at all, that is why Zanu Ndonga has fielded its own candidates. I am actually contesting in the Chipinge South constituency and I am sure I will win that seat because the people of Chipinge are not happy with the Government of the day. I know they are bringing people from outside the constituency to register but that will not deter our resolve as a party.

FN: What are you doing to correct the situation? Have you approached ZEC with such complaints on the bussing in of voters you are talking about?
WK: We are exposing their mess. We won’t complain to ZEC because it is like a rat complaining to the cat that the kitten is eating my tail. There will be no recourse.

FN: Zanu Ndonga is one of the oldest parties in the country but has become one of the smallest. One of the reasons cited is that the party went tribal, a party for Chipinge. How do you respond?
WK: We are not a small party that is why we have survived all these years. There are some parties that are big because of the resources they are getting. Deny them those resources and they will die.

Ours we are sustaining from the membership. As you have rightly said, we are the oldest party and have contested in all the elections but we have been made small because we are not getting the money under the Political Parties Finance Act.

The Act was designed to inhibit political parties outside Parliament from getting the necessary resources. We are denied the money yet the parties in Parliament are feeding from the national resources.

Surely a crop that is irrigated will produce more and that is what is happening in Zimbabwe. We have been quiet to allow the dissolution of Parliament and the elections but soon after we will be taking up the case with whatever party is the government of the day.

All political parties need to get a share of the money. The size of the parties can only be measured if we are competing on the same level. We have been denied that opportunity but the few candidates that we put in to contest will show that we are serious party.

FN: What advice would you give the other politicians accused of focusing on tribal politics — Zapu — Dabengwa, MDC- Welshman Ncube?
WK: I can’t speak on the behalf of the two. They have their reasons and mission. I speak on behalf of Zanu Ndonga.

FN: You share a similar name with Zanu-PF and you have always insisted that you are the original Zanu — why haven’t you joined forces?
WK: Zanu-PF is an exfoliation of Zanu which got lost. They lost the mission that is why we are different. Theirs is to feed while ours is to make people earn from their sweat.
President Mugabe has tried but has failed.

FN: Could you please assess the Global Political Agreement (inclusive Government). In your opinion did it realize it mandate? 
WK: That entity existed to plunder our resources. Nobody benefited from that creature. It surely had to go. The inclusive Government has been busy taking money from the people.

The little money we get from those in the Diaspora is being taken in taxes and rates. See what they are charging for licensing, electricity, water and compare them with what is in the region and you can see what I am saying. Go on the roads and see what the police are doing — they are out to take money from the people. The GPA was there to steal from the people.

It was like a father who comes home and eats all the food leaving the children hungry. Its demise was long overdue. It was a burden to the nation.

FN: What is your vision for Zimbabwe?
WK: If am to lead the Government I will allow Zimbabweans to rule the country.

That is what we aim to do as a party. Everyone has a stake and is gifted hence should be given a chance to contribute to the nation’s well-being.  Reporters should not be carpenters. Ndonga will release the people to express themselves freely.