War vets seek Western intervention

A section of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA), which recently severed ties with President Robert Mugabe's administration, has threatened to engage the international community to force government to restore democratic rule.

Addressing journalists in the capital yesterday, ZNLWVA secretary-general Victor Matemadanda said they were going to re-engage the Western countries so that they could help democratize Zimbabwe as well as improve the ex-fighters' well-being.

The war veterans' group clashed with the Zanu-PF leadership after it endorsed Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa to succeed Mugabe.

The move culminated in the expulsion of the entire leadership of the ZNLWVA from Zanu-PF. Matemadanda said they would soon organize an indaba to strategize on "the Zimbabwe we want".