War vets cross paths over expulsions

via War vets cross paths over expulsions – Sunday News Feb 14, 2016

Dumisani Sibanda in Bulawayo and Kuda Bwititi in Harare
THE Bulawayo Province of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association has dismissed the vote-of-no-confidence passed on the organisation’s national chairman and war veterans minister Cde Christopher Mutsvanga as “null and void”. The move by the province comes as infighting between members of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association escalated yesterday with two rival camps saying they will convene conferences to map the future of the association.

Cde Mutsvangwa and his wife, Monica, deputy chairman Cde Headman Moyo and secretary-general Victor Matemadanda were booted out on Friday at a meeting chaired by the association’s secretary for information, Cde Mandi Chimene.

While Cde Matemadanda yesterday dismissed the sacking as null and void, the group led by Cde Chimene insisted their action was binding, saying 28 executive members — who are more than the required quorum of 24 — appended their signatures backing the jettisoning of their erstwhile colleagues.

A defiant Cde Matemadanda said Cde Mutsvangwa will soon convene a conference to map the way forward.

“What Chimene and her group have done is to form a splinter organisation. They had no mandate to carry out such a meeting from the start because she was no longer part of the executive because she failed to attend meetings for three consecutive occasions, thereby automatically relinquishing her post,” he said.

“What we have now done is to get the input from other executive members and they have requested that we should call for a conference so that we set the record straight and give the correct position of the association.”

Contacted for comment, Cde Chimene stuck to her guns saying consultations were taking place between members to craft the future of the association without Cde Mutsvangwa and the ousted members.

“Mutsvangwa is history and we are now looking ahead to the future,” she said. “We are not in a rush but we will consult with the comrades on the way forward.”

In a hastily arranged Press briefing yesterday morning at the war veterans’ provincial offices Bulawayo’s Entumbane suburb, provincial chairman Cde Cephas Ncube dismissed the move as “comic”.

“The reason why we called you is yesterday’s statement by Mandi Chimene and her group who said they are passing a vote-of-no-confidence on the following; Cde Chris Mutsvanga who is our chairman and Minister of War Veterans, his deputy Headman Moyo, secretary-general Victor Matemadanda,” he said.

“First and foremost we want to make it clear that Mandi Chimene is not a national executive on her own and what she did is a sign of ignorance of the provisions of the constitution of the association. If she knew its provisions she would have followed the constitution with a national executive being called for a meeting where the accused persons would be present and then pass the vote of no confidence at that forum.”

Cde Ncube said they were disturbed that Cde Chimene was now discrediting her national executive counterparts and leaders.

“We are saddened by Mandi Chimene’s statement, coming after we elected the President and President Mugabe was given the power to choose people he would work with and Mutsvanga was elected to chair the war veterans association during a meeting in Masvingo including Mandi Chimene herself,” he said. “President Mugabe endorsed the election of Mutsvanga as the chairman of the war veterans and that is why he appointed him as Minister of War Veterans. We are surprised that Chimene now says she is passing a vote of no confidence in her counterparts as an individual. At the same time on Wednesday , President Mugabe made it clear that people should learn to work together and if there are any problems people should learn to channel those problems in the right manner.”

Cde Ncube also dismissed those who were introduced at the First Lady’s rally in Chiweshe as war veteran leaders as “sore losers”.

“We are also surprised that there are some who were paraded as the national executive at a rally,” he said. “These are the same people who were rejected by the people when elections were done. Patrick Nyaruwata, George Mlala and company. They were rejected by the people. People did not elect them to be members of the national executive. They are now trying to impose themselves. Nyaruwata was once in the (late Chenjerai) Hunzvi executive and people are still asking a lot of questions about their investments. Nyaruwata is answerable. People want to know what went wrong with their monies they invested their $50 000 (gratuities received from Government) in Zexcom.”

Cde Ncube said there were detractors bent on derailing efforts to improve the welfare of the former freedom fighters.

“This vote-of-no-confidence was done at a wrong place and wrong time,” he said.

“I am the provincial chairperson of Bulawayo, as Bulawayo Province, we are saying no, this is unconstitutional, they should go and sleep and not confuse comrades who want to improve the lives of war veterans.”

The Bulawayo provincial commissar for the war veterans, Cde Molly Mpofu said it was wrong for some people to try and put a wedge between the First Lady and war veterans when she actually stated that she “does not hate war veterans”.

Apart from Cdes Ncube and Mpofu those who attended the media briefing were the war veterans provincial secretary for information and publicity, Cde Rodwell Mpofu and a war veterans national executive member Cde Japhet Phuthi. Dozens of other ex-fighters were lurking around the office premises.

However, ZNLWVA national secretary for lands Cde George Matanda said the 28 executive members who signed the vote of no confidence were drawn from all the country’s 10 provinces.

He said the list of members who appended their signatures were: Cdes Chimene, George Matenda, Thomas Mashoko, Malaki Mpofu, Charles Mpofu, Esther Munyaradzi, Hisbon Chinyandura, Nesi Ncube, Kennias Ndebele, Rayilos Mutodi, Nelsom Chadamoyo, Melusi Muleya, Future Pariani, Thomas Kunaka, Joseph Serima, Banning Nyemba, Sinikiwe Siwela, Zakeyo Neshumba, Lynn Gororo, Lavert Nyaruwata, Dumisani Ncube, Lloyd Siyoka, Joshua Kativhu, Reuben Chikomo, Passmore Chigwada, Davision Ndlovu and Gibson Siziba.