Brig-Gen Nyikayaramba not spokesperson of service chiefs: Zanu-PF

After MDC-T lodged a formal complaint with the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC) over statements made by brigadier-general Douglas Nyikayaramba, Zanu-PF seems to be back  tracking on the Brigadier Nyikayaramba saga. Zanu-PF chief whip Joram Gumbo yesterday said recent utterances by Brigadier-General Douglas Nyikayaramba are his personal opinions that do not reflect the views of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.

Gumbo said Brig-Gen Nyikayaramba was entitled to air his views as enshrined in the constitution without any hindrance.

Addressing the media fratenity yesterday, Gumbo said the bringing of the motion on security chiefs by MDC-T was ill- informed.

Mbizo MP Mr Settlement Chikwinya (MDC-T) moved the motion on Wednesday arguing that service chiefs were making "unconstitutional statements that were treasonous and called for authorities to carry out investigations into the said utterances."

However, Gumbo said it was important for the MDC-T to know that Brig Gen Nyikayaramba was not speaking on behalf of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces or Zanu-PF.

"Brig-Gen Nyikayaramba is allowed by the constitution of Zimbabwe to express himself freely without infringements. Brig-Gen Nyikayaramba is not a service chief as alleged and his statement does not represent the views of service chiefs.

Furthermore, he is not the spokesperson of the ZDF. His statements therefore, must not be regarded as the views of or legal position of the ZDF," he said.

Gumbo said the ZDF upheld the law and its obligations under various local and international statutes under the UN, AU and Sadc.

"Pursuant to this role the ZDF will always seek to detect, dissuade and defeat any threats to Zimbabwe, be they from external aggressors working in cahoots with internal groupings (political parties included) or from internal aggressors," he said.

Gumbo said any political party or individuals caught at cross-purposes with the ZDF would become enemies of the State. He said it was public knowledge that some members of the then opposition went all out to lobby for the imposition of illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe and  the continued existence of the sanctions posed a threat to the country's national security.

The Zanu-PF chief whip said the ZDF would therefore not tolerate any unconstitutional change of Government irrespective of which political party attempted to do so. He said even Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai had once threatened to remove President Mugabe through violence.