War veterans gun for Grace Mugabe

War veterans, who gathered in Chinhoyi recently took a dig at First Lady Grace Mugabe and Vice-President Phekezela Mphoko, saying they did not deserve their top positions in Zanu-PF, as their leader Christopher Mutsvangwa said Zanu-PF needs a "cleansing exercise".

The former fighters said it was unfortunate that the Zanu-PF national disciplinary committee was full of povo (ordinary people, who did not fight in the liberation war) among them Grace, Zanu-PF political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere and Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa.

"The problem we have in the party is the disciplinary committee, which is comprised of povo like Amai Mugabe (Grace), Kasukuwere and Chinamasa, who is refusing to release money for our children's school fees, and VP Mphoko, who was thinking of wedding in Maputo, Mozambique, in 1977, while others were in the battlefield," a female ex-combatant from Harare said.

Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi, who attended the meeting, said the ruling party should concentrate on recruiting and not expelling members.

The war veterans also took a swipe at technocrats in Zanu-PF, whom they accused of going to Western countries to be trained in "oppressing" people.

In an interview with NewsDay following a meeting with War Veterans minister Tshinga Dube and his executive on Tuesday, Mutsvangwa said Zanu-PF got a rude awakening in the Norton by-election and realised it was being "led astray" by the G40 faction.

"Out with G40. We are joining with all people of goodwill in a cleansing endeavour of the party. We are keen that the genuine members and the tried and tested cadres reclaim their rightful space, as the genuine and authentic Zanu-PF," Mutsvangwa said.

"The reborn and gingered political force will finish the noble task of jettisoning G40. Anyway, G40 kingpins belong to Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison for their admitted crimes, as they shudder at the tightening noose of inevitable law enforcement agents (sic). Treason (charges) will also be soon hovering above them."

Zanu-PF is sharply divided along factional lines with the Team Lacoste faction reportedly loyal to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, while the rival G40 camp is said to be linked to Grace.

Mutsvangwa, who is linked to Team Lacoste, has been at the centre of Zanu-PF infighting and has openly attacked Mugabe and his wife over alleged G40 links.

But the former War Veterans minister said the "reborn Zanu-PF will hit hard at G40".

Mutsvangwa said the Norton by-election defeat was a rude awakening for the Zanu-PF leadership, as the party tasted its first loss since the 2013 elections.

"[The] Norton by-election was a stark clarion call to the apex of the leadership of the party. G40 was frog-marching them to electoral harakiri in 2018," he said.

However, when asked to clear the air on his alleged Zanu-PF return, Mutsvangwa referred all questions to Dube.

"Ask the minister, please. I do not have locus standi to answer that one," he said.

However, Dube said his only role was to unite the war veterans and anything outside that belonged to the Zanu-PF commissariat department led by Kasukuwere, a sworn critic of Mutsvangwa and his camp.

"If they were expelled by some people, they can also be talked back (sic)," Dube said.

"My mandate, as given by the President, is to unite war veterans and make them speak with one voice."

Kasukuwere was not reachable for comment.