War vets warn Tsvangirai over protests

Munyaradzi Musiiwa 9 October 2014
ZIMBABWE National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA) leader Cde Jabulani Sibanda has warned MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai against staging mass protests, saying freedom fighters would not sit back and watch as the opposition party sought to effect an illegal regime change.
Delivering a public lecture at Midlands State University yesterday, Cde Sibanda accused the MDC-T of abusing students for selfish political ends.

“We have heard that there are some opposition party leaders calling for mass protests against the Government. They are calling people and they are relying on students whom they have manipulated over the years to pursue their regime change agenda.

“Let me tell you, it is not good for the students, it is not good for me, it is not good for the people of Zimbabwe,” he said.

“Snub and shun people who call for such things, do not be part of them. If you take heed of their call, I can assure you, we are going to defend the country and its people with fire which cannot be extinguished by water.”

Added Cde Sibanda: “There is no time and place to allow our children to be abused and be manipulated by people pursuing selfish agendas.”

He said war veterans would be compelled to retaliate if Mr Tsvangirai staged demonstrations.

Cde Sibanda said Zimbabweans were united and peaceful and would not submit to wWestern imperialists ideologies.

He said Zimbabwe would not be plunged into the same predicament as some African countries where governments were overthrown through Western-sponsored mass protests.

“It is their right to demonstrate but the rights must not infringe on other people’s rights. You have seen what has happened to Egypt, Syria, Libya, Tunisia and other countries. They were sponsored to rise against their governments and killed their own. That can never happen to Zimbabwe because we are peaceful and united,” he said.