Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. ZANU PF Matabeleland North province has issued a prohibition order against Bubi legislator Simelisizwe Sibanda (pictured below), barring him from accessing provincial offices and attending party meetings.
The ruling party is accusing the Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development deputy minister of making remarks that bring the image of the party into disrepute.
On Monday this week, the Matabeleland North disciplinary committee chairperson Silas Maligo wrote to Sibanda indicating that he was being charged with alleged acts of misconduct after making remarks that violate the party’s constitution.
Maligo accused Sibanda of engaging in a conduct which is contrary to the interest, ethos and integrity of the party, with the potential to bring its name into disrepute.
Sibanda is alleged to have refused to co-operate with the district co-ordinating committee (DCC) and was accused of creating parallel structures.
“Your behaviour has the potential to provoke division, disunity or impact negatively on the unity of the party by creating and promoting your own parallel structures,” Maligo said.
“You dissociated yourself from Zanu PF in social media platforms, including social media platforms that are anti-Zanu PF like the Bubi Community Parliament in which platform you categorically stated that you do not represent Zanu PF in Parliament, but you only stood for Zanu PF during the August 2023 harmonised elections and thereafter you ceased to represent it.
“You use the Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme and the resultant business units as your own initiative as evidenced by your commissioning these boreholes without involvement of the party leadership, thus disrespecting the authority of the DCC.”
Maligo accused Sibanda of using his parliamentary position to his advantage by presenting laptops from the ICT ministry to secondary schools as if they were his own.
The deputy minister is also accused of making disparaging utterances against the party and its leadership, in the process allegedly embarrassing the DCC leadership in public and social media.
Maligo said the disciplinary committee established by the provincial executive council meeting held on Sunday noting the alleged acts of misconduct raised by the Bubi DCC against Sibanda issued the prohibition order which took effect from August 24 this year until the case is determined by the relevant disciplinary committees.
Sibanda was barred from exercising the duties of a DCC member, entering the Matabeleland North provincial offices, including entering or accessing Zanu PF offices. He was also prohibited from attending Zanu PF meetings or gatherings.
Maligo said the provincial disciplinary committee would conduct a hearing on November 19 at party offices.
Sibanda was requested to respond to the allegations within 21 days.
Sibanda, who is a member of Bubi Community Parliament, yesterday said he was not aware of the prohibition order.
In July last year, President Emmerson Mnangagwa fired Sibanda from his ministerial position, but reinstated him weeks later after he offered “profuse apologies”.
Sibanda faced fierce backlash following his decision to transfer an early childhood development teacher from Bubi district for alleged lack of proficiency in the isiNdebele language.
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