Stick to your mandate, Mugabe tells war vets body

The President and First Secretary of Zanu PF, Robert Mugabe says the war veterans association should stick to its mandate of catering for the welfare of all its members and not to bully the party.

Addressing the 102nd session of the Zanu PF central committee at the party headquarters in Harare this Thursday, President Mugabe said the war veterans must be guided by principles of training which are discipline and obedience and that behaviour to the contrary is tantamount to dissident activities.

The central committee was held against the backdrop of the highly successful Million Man March and the biting liquidity crunch in the country.

President Mugabe began his address by paying tribute to the youth league for the march which brought supporters from all corners of Zimbabwe saying it was a demonstration of Zanu PF's vibrancy and a lesson on what unity in the party can achieve.

Mugabe said he is not happy with the utterances and activities of the war veterans some of which he said are tantamount to dissidentry as they are creating discord and disunity within Zanu PF.

The President said war veterans should act and work within the party saying the gun does not lead politics.

He said it is unfair for the war veterans platform to be used to attack people in leadership and to sway the party direction to the war veterans preferred positions and threatening bloodshed if their preferences are not fulfilled.

He urged them to respect those appointed by leaders saying the party constitution should be adhered to.

The central committee meeting is the second such this year out of four that are required every year.

Commenting on the cash crisis, the President said bond coins are here to stay until the country has enough reserves to have its own currency.

Mugabe said the bond notes are being introduced to safeguard the few United States dollars that are being generated by the low exports that Zimbabwe is generating.

The issue of the liquidity crunch biting Zimbabwe as a result of externalisation and cash hoarding was under the spotlight at the central committee meeting.

The President stressed the need for the monetary authorities that include the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and the central bank to explain to the public measures being taken to rectify the situation.

On food availability, the President explained that he will soon undertake provincial visits with the aim of assessing areas where food production projects can be stepped up to ensure food security.

He said the little water available should be used to produce food for households and for exports in order to revive industries.

He said while waiting for the projects to take off, food relief should be distributed to every needy household without discrimination based on party lines.