'Dabengwa can keep his Zapu,' says Mugabe

Mugabe denied media reports he had used the occasion of the unveiling of the late vice President Joshua Nkomo's stature in Bulawayo December last year to plead for the return of former Zanu-PF politicians who had deserted the party.

"I said war veterans and I didn't go beyond that," Mugabe said, when asked about his address.

"Dumiso can keep his party if he wants, if it means anything to him. But of course that appeal was taken in a broader sense of meaning that l was appealing for Dumiso and others to come back. No that's not what l said.

"War veterans had said because they are so divided and these are people who made tremendous sacrifice and we want to address their problems the challenges they are having in life."

Dabengwa lured some disgruntled former-PF Zapu politicians within Zanu-PF to go and revive-PF Zapu, which merged with Zanu 1987 under the unity accord.