News / National
Calls for the arrest of former Chipangano leader Kunaka
17 Oct 2015 at 11:02hrs | Views
FORMER Zanu-PF youth leader and Mbare-based vigilante group Chipangano frontman Jim Kunaka must be arrested "because he is a criminal", the ruling party's Youth League boss Pupurai Togarepi has said.
Togarepi's comments came in the wake of Kunaka's apology for his role in the violence that rocked one of Harare's poorest suburbs, Mbare, for years before he was stampeded out of Zanu-PF late last year as internecine succession fights took over.
Kunaka early this week told a South African television channel that he was sorry for his role in the hounding of opposition activists and supporters, particularly in Harare.
"I was the political violence master when I was in Zanu-PF, but what I want people to know is that when you join a cult, you behave like the people in the cult," he said, adding the "bad" things he did under the Zanu-PF terror group Chipangano "were unintentional".
But Togarepi dismissed Kunaka's claims that the ruling party, which has over the years been accused of using crude tactics to retain power, is "a violence cult", saying Zanu-PF had renounced violence.
"If what you are saying is true, then Jim Kunaka is a criminal who should be arrested right away. The President RG [Robert Gabriel] Mugabe is on record calling upon the youths to desist from all forms of violence for the good of our country and development," Togarepi said.
"He [Kunaka] should be warned [not] to drag Zanu-PF into his criminal tendencies because his violent behaviour is at variance with our revolutionary principles of peace and development for all of our people despite their di fferent persuasions. He has joined these fringe parties because the majority of them thrive on chaos."
But the former Zanu-PF provincial youth leader shot back, threatening to "spill the beans".
"Togarepi must be careful what he wishes for, unless he wants me to spill the beans and release a list," he said.
"My understanding of, for example, the International Criminal Court, is that they do not indict foot soldiers, but commanders.
Togarepi must explain why I was not arrested at the time I committed the o ffences [and] wants me jailed now."
Kunaka said he was ready to be arrested.
"Youths are being used like condoms and it is time we spoke out," he said.
Kunaka was expelled from Zanu-PF as part of a group of leading personalities aligned to then Vice-President Joice Mujuru, accused of a litany of charges, including treason.
Togarepi's comments came in the wake of Kunaka's apology for his role in the violence that rocked one of Harare's poorest suburbs, Mbare, for years before he was stampeded out of Zanu-PF late last year as internecine succession fights took over.
Kunaka early this week told a South African television channel that he was sorry for his role in the hounding of opposition activists and supporters, particularly in Harare.
"I was the political violence master when I was in Zanu-PF, but what I want people to know is that when you join a cult, you behave like the people in the cult," he said, adding the "bad" things he did under the Zanu-PF terror group Chipangano "were unintentional".
But Togarepi dismissed Kunaka's claims that the ruling party, which has over the years been accused of using crude tactics to retain power, is "a violence cult", saying Zanu-PF had renounced violence.
"If what you are saying is true, then Jim Kunaka is a criminal who should be arrested right away. The President RG [Robert Gabriel] Mugabe is on record calling upon the youths to desist from all forms of violence for the good of our country and development," Togarepi said.
"He [Kunaka] should be warned [not] to drag Zanu-PF into his criminal tendencies because his violent behaviour is at variance with our revolutionary principles of peace and development for all of our people despite their di fferent persuasions. He has joined these fringe parties because the majority of them thrive on chaos."
But the former Zanu-PF provincial youth leader shot back, threatening to "spill the beans".
"Togarepi must be careful what he wishes for, unless he wants me to spill the beans and release a list," he said.
"My understanding of, for example, the International Criminal Court, is that they do not indict foot soldiers, but commanders.
Togarepi must explain why I was not arrested at the time I committed the o ffences [and] wants me jailed now."
Kunaka said he was ready to be arrested.
"Youths are being used like condoms and it is time we spoke out," he said.
Kunaka was expelled from Zanu-PF as part of a group of leading personalities aligned to then Vice-President Joice Mujuru, accused of a litany of charges, including treason.
Source - newsday
