By Ziyah News Network Reporter
Former Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Simelisizwe Sibanda who was relieved of his duties by the President after torching a tribal storm where he chastised a Shona teacher for “killing” the children because of her Shona origin has written a public apology to the nation.
In his letter, the Bubi Member of Parliament express regret for his actions which were recorded and distributed igniting the tribal blizzard that eventually led to him losing his cabinet position.
“I understand that my approach to addressing the issue of a teacher’s language proficiency was misguided and inappropriate, leading to perceptions of tribalism. I want to assure the public and especially the teachers that my intention was solely to ensure that our children receive quality education, and I was concerned about the teacher’s ability to communicate effectively with her students,” he said.
In his apology, Sibanda acknowledges that he erred by addressing the issue in an inappropriate way.
“As a national leader, I should have addressed this issue through appropriate channels, avoiding public platforms that may have fuelled the tribal connotations. I take full responsibility for my actions and acknowledge that my approach was wrong. I understand that my actions may have perpetuated tribal divisions, and for that, I truly apologise to the whole teaching fraternity and nation at large.”
He also reiterated his resolve to national unity expressing regret over the incident.
“I want to assure the public that my commitment to our nation’s unity and development has always been genuine. I want to express my gratitude to the public, the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, for supporting me during my tenure. I appreciate the opportunity to have served and contributed to the development of our education sector. I also want to extend my apologies to all the leadership and members of my Party ZANU PF. I understand the party’s values of unity and inclusivity, and I regret any harm caused by my lack of judgement. I hope that the party and its members will accept my sincere apologies and recognize my commitment to our nation’s progress”
The rant by the former Minister is an indictment on the lingering tribal connotations in the Zimbabwean society largely driven by minority groups some of whom have voiced their concern on being side-lined. It might be time for President Mnangagwa who is at the fore-front of preaching unity to revisit the issue and find ways to deal with it. No Zimbabwean must feel like a foreigner in their own country because of regionalism.