War vets in dramatic U-turn

Source: War vets in dramatic U-turn – DailyNews Live 17 January 2017

Mugove Tafirenyika

HARARE – War veterans aligned to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa
yesterday made a dramatic U-turn, insisting that they remain members of
the ruling Zanu PF party.

Following the expulsion of Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans
Association (ZNLWVA) chairperson Christopher Mutsvangwa and some members
of his executive from Zanu PF last year, the war veterans cut ties with
the ruling party, demanding that Mnangagwa should succeed President Robert
Mugabe.

After the rift, the former freedom fighters vowed never to be involved in
partisan politics again.

In July last year, war veterans severed their ties with soon-to-be 93
years old Mugabe after they issued a damning communique which marked the
end of a political relationship that dates back to 1975 when freedom
fighters catapulted the 92-year-old to the leadership of the ruling party.

The ex-combatants declared that going forward, they will instead act as
umpires on the country’s political battleground that has over the years
been characterised by violence against opposition party supporters, to
ensure a level playing field.

But addressing journalists in the capital yesterday, ZNLWVA spokesperson
Douglas Mahiya sang from a completely different hymn book, vowing to
bounce back in the ruling party fold.

“We are not going anywhere and (Zanu PF national political commissar
Saviour) Kasukuwere must know that one day, and the writing is on the wall
already, he will be in my current position as well, expelled,” Mahiya
said.

“Nobody will ever own Zanu PF  but we think that the forthcoming
restructuring exercise is meant to put G40  (Generation 40, a faction
opposed to Mnangagwa taking over from Mugabe) in the driving seat by
ensuring that all war veterans have been weeded out  and their legacy
thrown into the dustbin of history but we will not rest.”

Mahiya said the G40 camp – whose key members are believed to be Higher
Education minister Jonathan Moyo and Kasukuwere – was a constant thorn in
their flesh as it kept them guessing as to who their preferred candidate
to succeed the nonagenarian is.

“What power do these people need and for or whom? What does he (Moyo) want
to use it for? That is why the G40 has given us so much trouble in this
country? Whose power is Jonathan trying to get? He has attacked war
veterans left, right and centre but tell him that we are not going to hell
but to heaven because we have done work for the people,” Mahiya said.

“We cannot be told to leave that party by people who are latecomers to the
party. We will not allow that to happen because we are a trained political
force…  Anyone else who wants to be the party president should join the
queue. It’s okay to join our party but please do not jump the queue,” he
said.

Declaring 2017 as “the year of engagement”, the war veterans once gain
challenged Moyo to a public debate on national television to discuss
Mugabe’s succession and other national issues.

“We have heard Mutsvangwa and Moyo throwing stones at each other in the
media and today we want to call both of them to a public debate to discuss
these issues so that we put to rest the whole succession debate. We have
called this year a year of engagement where brothers are able to sit down
and talk and this is want we want Jonathan who wants power for unknown
people to do with Mutsvangwa”.

Towards the end of last year, Mugabe made frantic efforts to lure back war
veterans in the wake of their stunning fallout.

It, however, appeared at the time as if the efforts would hit the skids
after the ex-combatants warned they would only work with the nonagenarian
again if he discards the G40 group, which they accuse of destabilising
Zanu PF.

In a recent interview with the Daily News, Mahiya said the ex-combatants
had no grudge with Mugabe and were prepared to normalise relations as long
as he dumped G40.

“We were not expelled from Zanu PF by Mugabe, but were expelled by
(Saviour) Kasukuwere and the G40. As long as those people are there, it’s
no longer Zanu PF but it’s called G40 Zanu PF,” Mahiya said.