Chamisa told to denounce sanctions

MDC-Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa must openly denounce the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the United States of America if he cares about the welfare of the country's war veterans, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans' Association (ZNLWVA) secretary-general Victor Matemadanda has said.

Addressing war veterans at Masvingo Polytechnic in Masvingo yesterday, he said only Zanu-PF and the Government have the interests of war veterans at heart.

Matemadanda, who is also the Deputy Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs, accused Mr Chamisa of lying by promising what he could not deliver. He said on several occasions, Chamisa has publicly promised to take care of the war veterans' welfare if people of Zimbabwe voted him into power, and yet he was behind the suffering of the liberation cadres after he and his deputy chairman, Mr Tendai Biti, called for the extension of illegal sanctions on the country.

Matemadanda also reiterated that all Zimbabweans should brace for a march to the United States of America Embassy in Harare to denounce the illegal sanctions on a date yet to be announced. He said the US was causing havoc in all countries that it had invaded like in Iraq, Egypt and Libya, among others.

"If Chamisa is serious that he has the war veterans' welfare at heart, he should lead a delegation to US President Mr Donald Trump to denounce the sanctions," said Matemadanda.

"Our first enemy is US President Trump, followed by the illegal sanctions, while Chamisa and Biti are in third position. Do not be fooled comrades, the country is under siege because of the sanctions, as it is, there is no money, all because of these economic embargoes," he said.

Matemadanda said President Mnangagwa was concerned about the welfare of the war veterans and had unveiled a number of programmes for their empowerment and to cater for their children.

"The President and the Government, especially my minister, are committed to addressing your challenges. I know some would say we are always making empty promises, but very soon you are going to benefit.

"The President will have a meeting with war veterans, ex-detainees and collaborators. He is also going to meet children of those who participated in the liberation struggle, like what is happening in Namibia's revolutionary party SWAPO. The party is creating a legacy through engaging children of those who liberated the country," he said.

Turning to former president Mr Robert Mugabe, Matemadanda said the nonagenarian was losing it in supporting Mr Chamisa.

"Our nonagenarian, Mugabe, has also joined the bandwagon and is now supporting Chamisa, he is mad.

"Mugabe cannot accuse us of killing people when there are thousands of lives that were lost under his watch.

"We heard that Chamisa wanted to get advice from Mugabe, yet he was part of us before we removed him during Operation Restore Legacy."

He also attacked former Zanu-PF stalwart Mr Dzikamai Mavhaire, who has joined MDC-Alliance, describing him as a political reject.

"Mavhaire has long lost his marbles because there is nowhere he can fit into the MDC-Alliance structures. He even lies saying that he is a war veteran," he said.

Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs Ezra Chadzamira, who is also Zanu-PF's provincial chairman, said Masvingo was a united province.

"We want to thank our war veterans here in Masvingo for helping in maintaining peace and unity. We are happy with the way we are working towards empowering of our people. I know that if we continue with the same spirit, we are going to achieve many things. We are done with unnecessary fights that were common during the old dispensation led by the G40 cabal," said Chadzamira.