via ‘Leave us out of your fights’ 7 November 2014 by Everson Mushava/Moses Matenga
THE Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA) national executive yesterday ordered the warring Zanu PF factions to leave them out of their “divisive fights” and concentrate on fulfilling the electorate’s expectations.
Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, the Jabulani Sibanda-led executive said it was regrettable that Zanu PF was locked up in self-destructive factionalism instead of concentrating on its mandate to improve the lives of people.
“To Zanu PF, we would like to urge them to desist from this self-destructive factionalism, avoid involving us in those divisive acts and concentrate on the duties bestowed upon them by the masses of Zimbabwe,” ZNLWVA spokesperson James Kaunye said.
“Indeed, what is happening today is a complete insult to the people and disregard of their wishes. The mandate that we got was to deliver livelihoods to the people through ZimAsset (the Zanu PF economic blueprint) and other party programmes.”
He was flanked by secretary-general Shadreck Makombe, treasurer-general Edith Kagoro, secretary for security Adwell Bonde, and Sibanda’s deputy Japhet Chinake.
Kaunye’s remarks come at a time President Robert Mugabe’s ruling Zanu PF party is locked in serious infighting.
Factions believed to be led by Vice-President Joice Mujuru and Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa are battling to position themselves in the race to succeed Mugabe, who turn 91 next February.
The fights have sucked in war veterans, with Sibanda being accused of supporting Mujuru and attempting to block Mugabe’s wife First Lady Grace Mugabe’s political rise after he snubbed her nationwide rallies where she publicly attacked Mujuru and labelled her as inept and corrupt.
Mugabe, fighting in his wife’s corner, blasted Sibanda last week and ordered the war veterans to elect a new leadership before the party’s December elective congress.
An unknown group referred to as the War Veterans Council of Elders, fronted by former Chitungwiza MP Patrick Nyaruwata, immediately announced Sibanda’s ouster.
But Kaunye yesterday accused Zanu PF of losing focus and forgetting how Sibanda and his executive tirelessly campaigned to overturn the March 2008 MDC-T poll victory.
“It is now unfortunate that the situation now portrays the angels as being the devils and the devils being the angels. Why are you wasting your time in search of perceived enemies among yourselves instead of service delivery to the nation?”
Kaunye said it was regrettable that Sibanda, who remained resolute in his support of Mugabe and abandoned his home to mobilise for Zanu PF for a good four years, was now being viewed as a traitor by “party hangers-on whoseliberation war credentials are doubtful”.
He said most members of the Nyaruwata-led executive had tainted backgrounds.
Nyaruwata was booted out of the ZNLWVA in 2004 for mismanaging war veterans’ shares in mobile phone operator Telecel while Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba was rejected by his province for mismanaging war veterans’ farm mechanisation tractors.
Speaking at the same event, Makombe claimed that the so-called Council of Elders once wrote to former South African President Thabo Mbeki and Botswana President Ian Khama seeking assistance to topple Mugabe.
“The same group sent Chillis Mutanda to try and persuade the President to accept an exit package and live in exile in Malaysia. In the same year, the group called for provincial members to a meeting in Harare at Chillis Mutanda’s Samora Machel offices purporting that Americans would help war veterans if they gave up their political allegiance to Zanu PF.”
Makombe said Sibanda, who was absent at yesterday’s media briefing, had been tasked to meet Mugabe before the ruling party’s congress to clear his name and set the record straight.
Meanwhile, the Zanu PF Harare youth provincial executive yesterday passed a vote of no confidence on youth chairperson Godwin Gomwe for, among other reasons, failure to convene regular meetings in accordance with the party’s constitution.
Gomwe was also being accused of fanning factionalism and using threats of violence against provincial members as well as district officials.
The letter, dated November 4, was copied to the party’s secretary for youth affairs Absolom Sikhosana, national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo, national secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa and secretary for commissariat Webster Shamu.
In Manicaland, Zanu PF youths were today expected pass a vote-of-no confidence on youth vice-chair Mubuso Chinguno, deputy youth secretary for environment Shiella Mutsenhu and national member Betty Dhliwayo.
The three are being accused of supporting Mujuru, plotting to topple Mugabe, and attempting to block Grace’s rise.
However, Mutsenhu dismissed claims that she was opposed to the First Lady’s ascendancy.
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