Source: Richard Chidza, NewsDay
WAR veterans say they are organising a meeting to discuss Zimbabwe’s worsening economic and political crisis, as their differences with President Robert Mugabe’s ruling Zanu PF party widen.
Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) spokesperson, Douglas Mahiya, yesterday said preparations for the “mega-indaba” were at an advanced stage although a date was yet to be set.
He said ZNLWVA made the resolution to organise the meeting during an executive meeting held on Monday.
“We met as the national executive of the war veterans at which a resolution was made to organise a gathering of freedom fighters in order to take stock of the progress of the revolution in the face of growing adversity and clear signs that we might have lost the way along the way,” Mahiya said.
He said Mugabe and his deputies, Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko were free to attend the meeting as war veterans.
Last year, the former fighters said Mugabe was no longer the patron of the ZNLWVA after they clashed with the 93-year-old veteran leader over his refusal to hand over power.
They demanded Mugabe’s resignation and that he must anoint Mnangagwa as his successor.
“At our extraordinary congress in Masvingo last year, war veterans resolved that we no longer belong or identify with partisan political activities,” Mahiya said. “We belong and identify with the people of Zimbabwe because we fought side-by-side with them.
“We also decided that we would, therefore, no longer have a patron.
“So if President Mugabe and his deputy and anyone else, who participated in the war in whatever form, including those that were still in training at independence, want to attend, they are welcome.
“However, nobody will bring their work ‘jacket’ to our meeting. All war veterans are equal.”
Police, last year descended heavily on war veterans, who tried to protest against First Lady Grace Mugabe’s disparaging remarks against Mnangagwa’s alleged ambitions to succeed her husband.
Meanwhile, ZNLWVA secretary-general, Victor Matemadanda, said Zimbabweans must demand an apology from Grace over her claims that they would vote for Mugabe even if he appeared as a corpse on the ballot paper.
Grace made the remarks at a rally in Buhera last week, where she charged that her husband her no capable successors in Zanu PF.
“It is an insult on Zimbabweans and the heroes of the struggle that brought majority rule. Zimbabweans must demand an apology from the First Lady because that statement was irresponsible,” he said.
Source: Richard Chidza, NewsDay