War vet leader arrested after Mugabe rebuke

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association secretary for information and publicity Mr Douglas Mahiya has been arrested. Sources close to the matter said Mr Mahiya was picked by the police yesterday afternoon. Details relating to the charges he is facing were still sketchy by the time of writing. "Yes, he was picked by the police but I do not have much detail as yet," said the source.

"If you can check tomorrow I can give you more details." Mr Mahiya quoted controversy after he presided over a war veterans meeting that denounced President Mugabe last Thursday.

At the same meeting, a treasonous communiqué was covertly issued to members of the media. Among other things, the communiqué purported that war veterans had renounced President Mugabe's leadership.

At the meeting, other participants took turns to denounce the President. Some of the participants who were vocal and blunt in attacking President Mugabe include Mr Francis Nhando and Mr Victor Matemadanda.

In his contribution at the meeting, Mr Nhando said no serious investor could commit his or her money in a country with a 92-year-old leader. War veterans, through their Minister Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube distanced themselves from the communiqué.

Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi said the treasonous communiqué could be the work of Fifth Columnists. It is understood that Government had already engaged its security apparatus to establish the origins of the communiqué and those behind its circulation.