60fR

60fR THE REASON FOR OUR ACTION We desire to recount here the factors loading to our decision to publicly announce our deposition of Mr. Joshush Nkomo, with whom we have worked in the African nationalist struggle for the last folir years. It is not our intcntion here to make a case against Mr. Nkomo, but we feel it our solemn duty to explain our recent action. 1. Mr. Nkomo is very much afraid of going to jail, and this fear of jail causes him to evade taking the necessary political decisions which any leader in his position is expected to take. The white settlers have exploited this fact to full advantage. Because of this feaar Mr. Nkomo has deserted the people at the time when thcy mot needed beld leadership tat does nT count the cost. (a) When ZAPU was banned on September 20th, 196 2, 1v Nkorao'0as then in Lusaka. Much against the advice of JNIP and his suppor s Mr. Nkomo fled to D a es Salaam leaving as it were, his sheep to to' scattered by the wolf. M. , i1omo publicly stated that he didnot want "to rot in jail". Meanwhile hundreds of his m- uplrters went to jail. (b) When he was finally forced to -o backc to Southern 1MfiLdesia and face detention, after -ton days cf oLQpping and clanging the sychological moment had been missed, and his supporters' confidence in him was greatly shaken and undormned,.d - lnce- ther the people hae een saying. "How' can be get ot:- independence with such a cowardly Inder?" hile in dotention, Mr. Nikoeo- fears wore also clearly demonstrated. He arranged for a private plane to take' all the members of the Centra], Executive secretly out of retiion, but they refused to jump the restrictiOn. (c) When Mr. Winston Field threatened to go it alone if Britain did not grant Southern independence under the present constitution, Mr. 1&omo's fears were once a ain aroused. As he put it himself, "If Mr. Pield declares Seutheen Rhodesia independent, we (the members of the Executive) shall be bundled up' This explains in part the infamous exodus of the Executive from to Dar es Salaam last April. 2. Mr. Nkomo has fallen into the unfortunate habit of concealing the truth from the members of his Central Exe'cutive so that in many cases these members have found themselves deceived, and hence have become embittered against him. On several occasions, Mr. Mcmo had assured the Central Executive that he had received assurances from some independent African gountries that if he wanted to form a governmont-in-exile he would be welcome. Last April, for instance, to et the members of the Central

2 Executive out of the country, although much against their bettor judgment, he told the members of the Executive that this was on the advice of Tanganyika, and that Tanganyika had agreed to the formation of a governmentin-exile in Tanganyika. But when the members of the Executive arrived in Bar es Salaam they found that this was not the case. Instead, they found that Tanganyika's only concern was, "If you leave the people you are leading, who is going to lead them? Who is going to organise thew?". 3. Mr. Nkomo had become a law unto himself, and as such dealt sevorb3ywith anyone who disagreed with him, who criticised his leadership and who suggested any radical change in the present leadership. (a) On 6th July, at a rally held in , Salisbury, he publicly named ton hard- core nationalists as his chief enemies. Among these were , Henry Hamad~miripi and Morris Nyagumbo, all of whom have served terms of imprisonment varying between two and four years for political reasons, and this act has infuriated many people. (b) Mr. Nkomo has held many secret meetings with branch and district leaders and demanded on threat of suspension their apolog for their criticism of his leadership, but these leado:s have remained adamant. (c) On the 28th June, the Executive arranged in Lusaka with Mr. Nkomo for a full Executive meeting tole held on 10th July in Northern Rhodesia. While we were preparing ourselves to leave Dar es Salaam about the 7th July, we received the following cable from Mr. Nkomos "In view of Marondera's activities when here recently and activities of one or two nembers of National Executive in Dar meeting of Executive on 10th stopped until mess cloared." We sent the following cable to Dr. Kaunda: "Please inform President Nkomo if in Northern Rhodesia that Executive determined to hold meeting as planned chancJ of clearing up mess if any greater as Executive together Prepared to bring Marondera or other persons needed to clear reported mess - Washington Malianga" In reply to the above, we heard over the radio that four members of the Executive in Dar es Salasni - Messrs Sithole, Takawira, Mugabe and Malianga - had been suspended by Mr. Nkomo. The following day we received from Mr. Nkomo the following cable:"Messrs Sithole, Takawira, Malianga and Mugabe you are hereby suspended until decision of confernco of People's Representatives you will be informed of the date and place of Conference. We took the greatest exception to this arbitrary, unconstitutional and undemocratic action. At a meetinC of the 7 Members of the

Exeoutive in Le;W os linaan uc pointed cut that Ur komo had messed up all of' us, and I-ad become TÄr-' and afratdO of our oonsurc of hin, and henos his frto eoöts to neutralise- u2. Wo 'poitote out that rno Conforonoc oa be held in-' 5Dýrn"hocosie. sio ZAFU was bannod.': This was norely onc el- T-r, Dh=oos g',unts. Wu rojeotelhis' uspnsion, donounced hisloadership., an1 cbposod hin f-on edohi.We-folt Mr. ITkobo was already beg-inn±i-cIi to whittie down other pöoplels freedoåof spech, before vjL havý er on gt that -rbedom, 4- r kr& actipns hae beon in-ost ,inQconsidorat3&t in relation to his oolo',ue iad hcýs provod1 that hoc isý only rusp knsibl to himself and to no oms c nse an be domnnstr, tod Ly the foi lowing rooent aotions of hisa(a) WhaÄPAU wlas LL"ao rla st ya, Li o o~li in, ho justanuc~ to thle world th o ad a'1to r, Sithoc to lead tho PatSi4io ix das ateýrq 1,r, Sih2oacoe-Acd reluotanitly tho appoini-U.,ent whieh 1.'a-nt be3ing, fro.a, Lis -_ifce and six children. Only a 'fcew day~s ao, Mr * iL7- Ä--, i' ~ta M-- vitol ,wa in a foreign country, oabled Prsd iriyoeroc, that h_,hc lind uspenrdeDu Sithole. It was on Nkomo'.E ordcrs +h&t SithoJ o had rono-inod( outsidc hi s counitry, now It is kco aaii ; 0: )son to inrt-rf07e xi _ith 21t1-o1o's orna activities (b,'1,_ Lis -, L .JALCoio0, UMI£ol -U;s pjrcscttions, intluced Mr, Robort Mugabo wh vas ou. of osoyon ho_ýavy bail, to juj; the bail and comec to rLur os Salaw-, In opyigw- Mr. Nkomoi ns wishos, Mr. Mugabo has irivolvod hinse]f in an offonQe a7ainst tho la~v. As if this wero not onough, Ur, Nk-omo has c .blod Prociýd_,_11 Nyerero that he h as suspendod Lir, IT, abe. This arai~3 nteýidod to Oense. cifficulty for Mr, Mugabo so that ho ls in trouble bot]: in lioutiaar Rhodesia and in Tanganyika, (c) Tn ýxyc ,,avu nontlh V\r kenj nduced. Mi', Leopold. Takawira to jump his 'bail and coiäo out -, -2ar 0es'a Th has naturally Pla~4 Mr. Takawira in 9, difficult, psition in relation to L]oÅtherrn Rhiodetia. Having pinued lär Rkavirt in IGhis ness Mw. Nkomo cabled Preeiden't Nyerere that ho had suspcnded Mr. TakrjA'.ta, täus ondoavouring to i.ncal-pa(itate hin in South -n Rhodegipaend tho pounti- in ViLjoh mr. Nkomio hineif has dumped hi,,i. (d) Imnediatel3P ZJtPL was banned, Mr, Nkono, withou't,oonsulting the Tanganyika Governent, le-t alone his colleeaues, announoed his intention to form. a gqyerrLonr.c-j-n'e7,rile. He was, howvover, later forced to rotraot that statchent. 5. 17e all desiro the unityof the Afi'ioan people of Southerni Rhodesla, but Mr, Ukonols flighit fron Southern Rhodesia to Tanganyil,a

° -4witi the who r Executive, his unf d assurances regarding the formation of a goo it4n-oile, his constnt refsal t meet with his whole xait}ive his arbitry aspes4 of tho four m bers of the Central keqq hi 141bo denunciation oflaard-coe nationalists in Southent a, let alone his indcion, vacilltion, Lapulsive and irrat pronouncements, and his fear to fsae cthe music are among 4 the factors that threaten the unity we al seek to maintain as we face the white settlers, who are determined to deny us the independence of our country which is rightly ours by birth. Mr. Nkomo had to be halted in his numab4with-hunts which have resultd in his beine denounced by many people at home. We want to feel assured that v&der leads the p eople ohell 1 t rmn who is boun*b th constitution, Int consults his Executive 'ndlho respects the w of his followers. While people elcct their ia , they reserve the right to criticise thop, and if need be, to cange them, If popular critioism results in 4epunoiation husen:jon and witch-hunt athe leadesa, then such leaders are not woth-eir salt, and such leaders should give way to a better lre o s who will not handle the affairs of the Party on a p a aritr y asis. This is the judgment we pronounoe on Mr. Nkom6 and we h pronounce the same judgaent on any leader who aspires in futuroto set 4imself above properly constituted authority. 4'4 believe the true unit of the people of in founed orindamental principles rather than on personalities. 4 $ °