Tsvangirai meets war veterans

MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai at the weekend met with estranged war veterans led by their secretary-general Victor Matemadanda in a bid to find a solution to the economic and political crisis bedevilling Zimbabwe, NewsDay has learnt.

The meeting, which according to insiders was held at an unspecified location, centred on finding a solution to the myriad of challenges Zimbabwe faces.

Although Luke Tamborinyoka, Tsvangirai's spokesperson, could neither confirm nor deny the meeting, insiders told NewsDay that the two sides met and a wide range of issues were discussed.

"Is there anything wrong when two Zimbabweans meet to discuss their country Zimbabwe? I don't see anything newsworthy about that," Tamborinyoka said.

Insiders said the two politicians discussed areas of mutual co-operation "to end brutality and misrule in Zimbabwe", which they both accuse President Robert Mugabe of being the mastermind of.

"The meeting was about strengthening relations between the two institutions (war veterans and MDC-T), as well as discussing ways to end Zanu PF rule," an insider said.

Attempts to get a comment from Matemadanda were fruitless, as his mobile phone went unanswered, while Douglas Mahiya, the war veterans' association's spokesperson, said he had no knowledge of the said meeting.

"I don't know what you are talking about. I have no information on the supposed meeting," he said.

Matemadanda and other war veterans' leaders, who include their chairman, Christopher Mutsvangwa, were recently expelled from Zanu PF on allegations of being rebellious.

The ex-freedom fighters were accused of plotting to overthrow Mugabe and replace him with his deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Last month, Matemadanda fired a salvo at Zanu PF's G40 faction, describing it as being a worse devil than Tsvangirai.

Zanu PF accuses Tsvangirai of being a puppet of Western countries that imposed sanctions on government officials, including Mugabe and his wife, First Lady Grace Mugabe.