Source: War vets meet amid tension – DailyNews Live
Mugove Tafirenyika 23 March 2017
HARARE – War veterans are set to meet today in Harare to discuss
Zimbabwe’s deepening political and economic crisis amid a tense
atmosphere, as defiant opposition parties yesterday staged a
demonstration, despite a warning by the police.
The ex-freedom fighters’ indaba, initially scheduled for last Friday, was
postponed after law enforcement agents refused to sanction it.
But the High Court struck down the police ban in a ruling that emboldened
the war veterans and was viewed as a brave stand by the courts in the face
of threats to the judiciary.
Apart from deliberating on the political and economic rot, and their poor
welfare at the hands of President Robert Mugabe’s administration, the
former liberation fighters also want to map the way forward on the rising
public anger over the country’s myriad of problems including high
unemployment, crippling cash shortages, collapsing health sector,
deteriorating civil service and grinding poverty.
Yesterday, the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association
(ZNLWVA) spokesperson Douglas Mahiya alleged that by blocking their
meeting, the police were advancing the interests of the Generation 40
(G40) – a Zanu PF faction opposed to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s
ascendency to presidency.
“We know that the police are not keen on us holding this meeting because
they are being directed to do so by the minister who has proved to us that
he is G40, otherwise there cannot be any other reason why they are
blocking us. Chombo (Home Affairs minister Ignatius) did not direct them
to do so,” he said, without disclosing the identity of the alleged
minister.
“We became suspicious when they called us to a meeting where they
interrogated me demanding to know what any other business and related
issues we wanted to discuss during our meeting,” Mahiya said.
“This was in apparent reference to the letter of notification we had
written them to say we would also want to discuss any other issues that
might arise. What business is it to them? They are panicking on behalf of
a Zanu PF faction that we want to discuss politics?
“We only hope that they will respect the court order and allow us to hold
our meeting. I know they are reasonable, so I would not want to speculate
on how they will react. We will cross the bridge when we get there,” he
added.
In their High Court application, the war veterans cited superintendent
Trustworthy Makunike, in his capacity as the officer commanding police
Harare Central District, police commissioner-general Augustine Chihuri and
Chombo, as respondents.
The ex-freedom fighters argued they had approached the court on an urgent
basis after realising that the law enforcement agents planned to thwart
their meeting and were prepared for a repeat of February last year’s
event.
High Court Judge Alfas Chitakunye, who was deciding the case brought by
the war vets, said the official police notice issued last week was
invalid, and therefore suspended.
“The meeting that the applicant (Zimbabwe National Liberation War
Veterans’ Association) intends to hold on March 23, 2017 from 10am to 3pm
at the City Sports Centre, shall proceed as notified,” ruled Justice
Chitakunye.
“That the applicant ensures that at the meeting there will be no
procession, marching or toyi-toying. The first respondent (Makunike) and
the police force be and are hereby ordered to refrain from disrupting the
meeting referred to . . . above.”
The war veterans have become emboldened by rising public anger over
economic hardships including severe cash shortages, high unemployment and
delays in payment of public workers.
Last year, the war veterans were bashed and tear-gassed by police in
Harare for holding an “unsanctioned” meeting following strained relations
with their patron, Mugabe.
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