War Vets dump JB Sibanda

SENIOR war veterans in the Midlands province have distanced themselves from unnamed liberation fighters who were quoted in the media saying they were fully behind beleaguered Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association national chairman, Jabulani Sibanda.

The private media on Tuesday said war veterans in Midlands, at a meeting held over the weekend, vowed to support Sibanda and resist his ouster from the liberation fighters' association.

But the war veterans quoted in the story were nameless.

Elders of the ZNLWVA on Friday expelled Sibanda for alleged indiscipline which included disrespecting President Mugabe, who is the patron of the war veterans, and First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe by implying that they had initiated a "bedroom coup" on Vice President Joice Mujuru.

They also accused him of sabotaging Amai Mugabe's "Meet the People" rallies by discouraging people from attending, yet they were official party programmes.

President Mugabe described Sibanda as someone possessed by the spirit of Beelzebub, castigating him for his plans to march on State House.

George Matenda, a senior war veteran based in the Midlands, said no one supported Sibanda in the province.

"There's nothing like that," he said. "The Midlands does not back Jabu. That's why you saw that  Terry Shumba (war veterans provincial chairman) didn't say anything in the article. As war veterans, we can't go against what President Mugabe has said."

He added: "If that person was genuine, he should've said out his name, not to remain unnamed in the whole article. During the liberation struggle there was nothing like disrespecting the leadership.

"Some of us worked under the command of Tonderai Nyika and he can tell you that war veterans don't behave that way."

Sibanda, according to the elders who expelled him, erred by suggesting that VP Mujuru was being persecuted for sins committed by her late husband and national hero, General Solomon Mujuru.

VP Mujuru has been accused of corruption, extortion and other underhand dealings which involve illicit diamond transactions.

Another senior war veteran from the Midlands Joseph Serima, said the so-called war veteran being quoted in the private media article was speaking on his own behalf.

"These were his own rants," he said. "The President has spoken as far as Jabu's matter is concerned. Who're we to go against that?

"It seems the person speaking in the media is Jabu's friend, not the voice of the Midlands province. We don't support Jabu's behavior in any way."

The war veterans elders who booted out Sibanda have already announced that they will appoint a 14-member team that will take over preparations for an elective congress to be held in Harare on the 15th of this month, where Sibanda is expected to be replaced.