Mugabe triggers fresh war with vets

Disaffected war veterans yesterday were breathing fire after President Robert Mugabe sneaked a shadowy executive to attend the Zanu-PF annual people's conference which gets underway in Masvingo today in defiance of a High Court order barring interference with the affairs of the ZNLWVA led by sacked former Cabinet minister Christopher Mutsvangwa.

This comes as Mugabe's and Zanu-PF heavy honchos plans to heal their ugly rift with the fed up liberation stalwarts including attempting to woo them back with wads of cash.

Last month, the war between President Robert Mugabe and war veterans continued to escalate, with the former fighters demanding that the veteran leader severs ties with G40 if he ever to entertains any hope of working with them again.

War veterans' chairperson, Christopher Mutsvangwa told NewsDay that only after Mugabe ditches G40 would his group start working with him again.

"We seek and are quite eager to find common ground with HE (His Excellency) so long the indulgence by the party to egregious G40 antics are dispensed with. We want our old and usual Zanu PF he used to properly and fairly lead back again," he said.

There is no love lost between Mugabe and the war veterans, with the former fighters announcing they had ditched the veteran leader as their patron.

For many years, the war veterans, now fighting in Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa's corner in the Zanu-PF succession race, have been the bedrock of Mugabe's continued hold on power and their fresh demand is likely to put him in a corner, with reports that his wife, First Lady Grace Mugabe is linked to G40.

Mutsvangwa said his outfit would continue to work with the military, Central Intelligence Organisation, Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe Prison Services.

He said their relationship with the security establishments was being destroyed by G40, "as they blithely and profess profane and fake loyalty to Mugabe".

Douglas Mahiya, the ZNLWVA spokesperson, weighed in, saying their relationship with Mugabe was untenable, saying it would be difficult to work together due to their divergent views.

"If the current patron (Mugabe) reverts back to the person we knew and revered, then there is a chance he could be appointed ceremonial president (of the war veterans). If not, then tough luck, there is no way we can work with him," he said.

More to follow....