Zanu-PF wings distance selves from Kasukuwere demo

WAR veterans, Zanu-PF youths and women's leagues have dismissed reports that former freedom fighters are planning a demonstration against the party's national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere in Harare today.

This followed wide circulation of a "faceless" document on social media last week claiming that there would be a demonstration against Kasukuwere. The faceless document claimed that the demonstration had the support of all Zanu-PF wings and other affiliated organisations.

The group calling itself revolutionary guards, claimed two points were set in Harare where a petition against Kasukuwere would be signed before it was handed over to President Mugabe at Zanu-PF headquarters on the same day.

However, in an interview on Friday, the chairman of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans' Association, Christopher Mutsvangwa, said any demonstration by war veterans would be done under the auspices of the party.

"I'm the chairman of the war veterans at Politburo and Cabinet level," he said. "I started working with President Mugabe when I was 19 years old before I even went to the war and I'm a loyal member of Zanu-PF. The Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans' Association belongs to the President and he's the patron of it. I don't possess it.

"Any demonstration that I do must be done under the auspices of the party and I don't know anything about the demonstration you're talking about.

"I've the courage of my own conviction and (Kasukuwere) doesn't need journalists to talk to me. He has my phone number and if he has issues he should phone me."

Zanu-PF secretary for youth affairs Pupurai Togarepi said the party had laid down channels of bringing to the fore grievances. He said resolving differences through demonstrations was not the best option for the revolutionary party. "Zanu-PF has got its own systems of bringing grievances. It has an organised structure to deal with problems," said Togarepi. "Solving problems through demonstrations I don't think that it's correct. There are so many channels to deal with problems. There's a Secretary for War veterans where grievances can be channelled. Going to the extent of organising a demonstration is counterproductive."

Zanu-PF women's league spokesperson Monica Mutsvangwa said she was not even aware of the purported demonstration. "I don't even know anything about that. I'm hearing that for the first time from you," she said.

The "faceless' document is being circulated by a shadowy group calling itself revolutionary guards thereby casting aspersions on whether it is originating from genuine war veterans.