BCC shoots down Zanu PF request

Newsday

By Dumisani Sibanda and Nduduzo Tshuma

22 March 2011

The MDC-T controlled Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has shot down a Zanu PF request to use council schools as anti-sanctions petition signing centres.

On Monday, Zanu PF announced it had established signing centres at 54 schools in Bulawayo province where the public are expected to append their signatures denouncing the travel and economic embargo imposed on Zanu PF leaders and functionaries by Western countries.

BCC has 29 primary schools. Out of these, 16 have been short-listed by Zanu PF as proposed anti-sanctions petition signing centres.

BCC chamber secretary Sikhangele Zhou on Monday confirmed they had turned down the Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development’s request to use council schools as anti-sanctions petition signing centres.

“The councillors said schools should not be used for non-educational activities. It was suggested that they use public halls by booking and paying for them in the usual manner and I understand they have booked and paid for Stanley Hall,” she said.

“The decision is in line with government policy as announced by minister David Coltart himself.”

Coltart is the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture and is on record denouncing the use of school premises for political activities.

On Monday, Coltart said he was taken aback by the Zanu PF decision to use schools as anti-sanctions petition signing centres and said he would immediately consult Secretary for Education Stephen Mahere to find out whether he had sanctioned the decision.

“We do not support any political or party activity in schools,” said Coltart.

Asked what he would do if the permanent secretary did not sanction the use of schools, Coltart said:

“I am going to discuss the matter with my senior staff to find out what is the best way forward. If it is a Zanu PF activity, then it is totally unacceptable. We have a clear and consistent policy against the holding of party and political activities in schools.”

Though Zanu PF has described the activity as a national exercise, other political parties in the inclusive government have snubbed it arguing it was a Zanu PF project.

At the weekend, Zanu PF launched its anti-sanctions campaign in all the country’s provinces.

The programme is expected to run until the end of March.