Deputy Minister Matemadanda visits the Injured Soldiers in Hospital

The deputy minister of defence who is the ZANU PF Political Commisair cde Victor Matemadanda last night visited two members of the Zimbabwe National Army who are admitted at West End Hospital in Harare, following a shootout with two assailants in separate incidents in Chivhu. Corporal Peter Zvirevo and Corporal Stanalious Chiunye were shot and injured in two separate but connected incidences. Corporal Zvirevo was shot while he was in the police base at Chicken inn in Chivhu while Lance Corporal Chiunye was shot when he was with a team which was dispatched to track and capture the assailants. Both injured soldiers were transferred to Harare for further management.

Corporal Zvirevo is critical and is admitted in the intensive care unit after undergoing an operation. His partner Lance Corporal Mupanganyama was murdered in cold blood he died on admission at Chivhu General Hospital, while Zvirevo suffered multiple injuries.

Corporal Stanalious Chiunye was part of the army and police crack-team on an operation to arrest the two assailants when he was injured in a shootout with the duo that was eventually killed. Comrade Matemadanda visited the two soldiers following a similar visit by Vice President Chiwenga.

Comrade Matemadanda interacted with the injured wishing them a quick recovery. Speaking after seeing the injured military men cde Matemadanda said "I visited our gallant soldiers who tracked down bandits who attacked a police post and killed one of our unsuspecting soldier. True to their calling of being a people's defence force , they tracked and tried to apprehend the bandits, who then opened fire injuring one of the defence forces."

Comrade Matemadanda said he was horrified by the lose talk of Biti and Mahere who downplayed the great skill of our soldiers calling their success extrajudicial killings. "With due respect sekuru Biti, you are a lawyer yourself. I'm not sure of chakaherereka uyo. But for you , as a good lawyer you should have led the bandits to the law and order section since they might have been your clients rather than letting the armed force track them." Comrade Matemadanda cynically said "Arresting an armed bandit who fires at you first and injure one of you after having killed and injured another soldier, needs a commando of sekuru Biti's caliber to arrest without firing a shot and even firing a warning shot in the air." But for our soldiers the best thing is to defend themselves and capture dead or alive.



Cde Matemadanda castigated all those who seek to find a fault in the operation to arrest the culprits. He urged Zimbabweans to have a unity of purpose. Cde Matemadanda warns those who trivialise terrorism and glorify bandits that the arms of law will not hesitate to discipline them. Zimbabwe must never be plunged in such crude evil attack on our military. There will be consequences.

Speaking to journalists yesterday after interacting with the injured, VP Chiwenga expressed confidence that the two would recover quickly.

"I am satisfied that the doctors have done the best they can," said VP Chiwenga. "The operation on Zvirevo went on well."

VP Chiwenga hailed the security forces crack team that accounted for the assailants in less than 24 hours after the shootout.

"It is a great lesson to everyone in the country that such acts should not be done," he said. "Anyone daring to do such evil acts would be accounted for."

The Herald reported that Dr Mangwiro who was with Vice President Chiwenga yesterday said the two were recovering well. He further said Corporal Zvirevo suffered multiple injuries and underwent a successful operation. He said  Corporal Zvirevo had a bullet lodged in the abdomen, while his kidney was shattered and was removed.  His spleen and liver that had been damaged were treated.

The deputy minister said Corporal Chiunye was hit on the left leg and sustained a compound fracture.  He was expected to go for operation last night.

Vazet2000@yahoo.co.uk