War veterans grab 2 Zanu PF vehicles

via War veterans grab 2 Zanu PF vehicles – NewsDay Zimbabwe February 20, 2015 by Jairos Saunyama

POLICE in Marondera have reportedly been ordered to track down a group of rogue war veterans and Zanu PF activists from Mashonaland East province who allegedly stole two vehicles from the party’s provincial headquarters in Marondera following the party’s tumultuous congress last December.

The vehicles allegedly vanished after the Zanu PF congress in December when the suspects took advantage of the disorder at the party office following the expulsion of the Ray Kaukonde-led provincial executive.

“A group of war veterans disappeared with party vehicles and a hunt for them is on,” said a Zanu PF insider.

“This happened when the group of war veterans took advantage of the disorder at the party office when Kaukonde was sent packing. This is the same group that caused havoc and took refuge at party offices before they were evicted. Some were arrested after resisting eviction. That is when the vehicles were stolen.

“They claimed that they had ejected Kaukonde and hence they were now running the province. The vehicles are yet to be recovered,” said the source.
Zanu PF’s Mashonaland East interim provincial chairman Aeneas Chigwedere confirmed the issue yesterday, but refused to reveal the names of the suspects.

Chigwedere said the party had reported the matter to the police and investigations were now underway.

“I can confirm that there is someone who fled with two party vehicles and we have since made a report to the police. The police are investigating the matter at the same time hunting for the vehicles, that’s all I can say. I cannot reveal the name of the person, once the police are through with their investigations you will know,” Chigwedere said.

Police in Marondera declined to comment on the issue, referring all questions to their superiors in Harare.

The case has since drawn the ire of other war veterans who have offered to join in the search party.

Addressing scores of war veterans in Marondera on Monday, war veterans national secretary-general Victor Matemadanda urged the suspects to return the vehicles to the party offices or face unspecified disciplinary action.