News / National
Zanu-PF throws war collaborators under the bus
29 Aug 2022 at 21:23hrs | Views
THE ruling Zanu-PF party, which recently introduced a war veterans league as the fourth wing of the party, has barred war collaborators from contesting for positions in the unit, claiming they were not part of the structures.
Zanu-PF has moved to incorporate war veterans into its structures through the formation of a war veterans' league which will hold its first elective conference on September 9 and 10 this year, with 40 positions up for grabs.
NewsDay reported last month that a number of ex-detainees and war collaborators were not happy and felt sidelined by the proposed rules arguing that there were people in the politburo who did not go to war, but held powerful posts.
Speaking on Friday at the party's headquarters in Harare, Zanu-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa said war collaborators despite their contribution to the struggle did not qualify to hold any position in the war veterans league.
"Some became active supporters of the war and it makes sense that those who were active get recognition that's why we said there is a category called chimbwidos and mujibhas, but this was a product of prosecution of the war, not a formal structure.
"I cannot see why any self-respecting supporter of Zanu-PF would take any umbrage at the respect of the history of the evolution of their party. The serious supporters of the party are happy," Mutsvangwa said.
War collaborators popularly known as mujibhas and chimbwidos were boys and girls who supported the liberation war cause by supplying guerrillas with, among other things, intelligence.
He said war collaborators should be content with being affiliated to the ruling party.
"They have been vetted and there is a register that exists in the government. The Constitution of Zimbabwe also recognises them . . . so at government level nothing changes," Mutsvangwa said.
Earlier this year the government vetted 144 200 war veterans, a move viewed by critics as a mere political gimmick by Zanu-PF meant to hoodwink the electorate.
Zanu-PF has moved to incorporate war veterans into its structures through the formation of a war veterans' league which will hold its first elective conference on September 9 and 10 this year, with 40 positions up for grabs.
NewsDay reported last month that a number of ex-detainees and war collaborators were not happy and felt sidelined by the proposed rules arguing that there were people in the politburo who did not go to war, but held powerful posts.
Speaking on Friday at the party's headquarters in Harare, Zanu-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa said war collaborators despite their contribution to the struggle did not qualify to hold any position in the war veterans league.
"Some became active supporters of the war and it makes sense that those who were active get recognition that's why we said there is a category called chimbwidos and mujibhas, but this was a product of prosecution of the war, not a formal structure.
War collaborators popularly known as mujibhas and chimbwidos were boys and girls who supported the liberation war cause by supplying guerrillas with, among other things, intelligence.
He said war collaborators should be content with being affiliated to the ruling party.
"They have been vetted and there is a register that exists in the government. The Constitution of Zimbabwe also recognises them . . . so at government level nothing changes," Mutsvangwa said.
Earlier this year the government vetted 144 200 war veterans, a move viewed by critics as a mere political gimmick by Zanu-PF meant to hoodwink the electorate.
Source - NewsDay Zimbabwe
