Bulawayo Correspondent

LATE former Zapu leader Dumiso Dabengwa’s party has endorsed its acting chair, Isaac Mabuka as acting president.

This follows a meeting Saturday by the National People Council (NPC), the opposition party’s highest decision making organ in between congresses, which resolved an extraordinary congress to replace the late struggle icon was not best for the party which is due to hold its compulsory congress August next year.

In its resolutions, the party resolved to formally request city authorities in Bulawayo to have Fife Street renamed Dr Dumiso Dabengwa Street.

Dabengwa died of a liver related ailment in Nairobi, Kenya last month while returning home from a month-long treatment in India.

His party on Saturday met in Bulawayo to decide on whether to call for an extraordinary congress to find his replacement or simply wait for 2020 when it is due to hold its routine elective congress as dictated by its constitution.

Addressing journalists soon after the NPC meeting, Mabuka said Zapu will not hold an extraordinary congress but will continue preparing for the scheduled congress that is due in August 2020.

A Zapu faction led by party secretary general Strike Mkandla was pushing for an extraordinary congress to replace the late national hero and former Home Affairs Minister.

“Following the passing on of the president, the party National Chairman Isaac Mabuka shall be the party’s acting president until August 2020 congress.

“It also was further resolved that the current party leadership shall remain in place and lead the party until August 2020 congress,” reads part of the NPC’s resolutions.

Zapu also resolved to engage all political players who have shown interest to join it.

According to the resolutions, Mabuka was also mandated to add, reduce or reshuffle NEC portfolios in order to align the national executive to government functions by making the NEC similar to the national government in form and function (shadow cabinet).