War vets demand Kasukuwere apology

MEMBERS of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans' Association have demanded an apology from Zanu-PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere, who in May branded some of them "drunkards and taxi drivers".

Addressing members of the organisation at Zanu-PF headquarters in Harare yesterday, chairperson of the ZNLWVA Chris Mutsvangwa, said he was deeply offended by some people in the party who were disrespecting war veterans.

Although he did not mention Kasukuwere by name, he made reference to what he said at a rally in Hwedza in May on the "drunkards and tax drivers" issue.

Mutsvangwa who is also Minister of Welfare Services for War Veterans, War Collaborators, Former Political Detainees and Restrictees, said he raised the matter at the Zanu-PF Politburo meeting on Wednesday. "I still want an apology over that matter," he said. "We are deeply offended by that statement" In his address at a campaign rally for Hwedza North House of Assembly Member David Musabayana in May Kasukuwere said: "They are drunkards; some of them are not real war veterans. They were taxi drivers in Zambia."

ZNLWVA secretary general Victor Matemadanda, said such utterances called for action from the party's leadership.
"There is a party member who said the war veterans' executive is composed of drunkards and taxi drivers. We want that person to come and show us the tax drivers and the drunkards," he said.