But Sibanda yesterday dismissed the allegations saying they were being peddled by his enemies who do not want him to resuscitate Zanu PF in the province.
People who attended a mini-rally at Chisiyawarima Township in Masvingo Central constituency where the instruction was allegedly issued said Sibanda told the chiefs that they were “the ears and eyes of Zanu PF” and must not tolerate MDC-T activities in their jurisdiction.
Residents said business came to a halt as shops were closed and people force-marched to the venue of the rally.
“He instructed all traditional leaders to compile a list of MDC-T activists in their areas saying Zanu PF will descend from the mountains in the area to deal with them,” said a resident who attended the meeting.
“He also produced a list which he claimed had names of school teachers who were anti-President Robert Mugabe’s rule.”
Sibanda allegedly said the list had names of teachers from Mutusva Primary School, Chapwisa and Shonganiso Primary school as well as Makoni Secondary school.However, Sibanda dismissed the allegations as “nonsense” saying he actually urged people to respect traditional leaders in their areas.
“This is actually contrary to what I told people,” said Sibanda. “I told them they should know that they are under traditional chiefs, whether they are teachers, war veterans or businessmen.”
He added, “As we speak, we are dealing with a case in which an individual occupied a farm house that the community wanted to use as a school but he is defying instructions from the local traditional leadership to vacate the farmhouse.”
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The war veterans’ leader also denied producing a list with names of teachers supporting MDC-T.
Sibanda also dismissed claims that he was under siege from war veterans in Masvingo who want him out of the province, where he is campaigning for Zanu PF.“I am at home here,” a defiant Sibanda said. “It was a creation of the media. . .that I fled Masvingo. Why? I am at home here. I am comfortable here.”
