Zanu-PF has turned War vets association into party project

The Matabeleland South Chairman for the MDC led by Welshman Ncube, Pilate Ndebele has accused Zanu-PF for turning the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) into a party project by appointing only leadership drawn from it with less consideration to Zipra members in the hierarchy.

Ndebele said it was sad that the association has been turned into a full extension of Zanu-PF which puts other war veterans who are not linked to the party at loss as to whether the institution still represent all or the selected few in Zanu-PF.

Christopher Mutsvangwa the former deputy minister of foreign affairs was elected unopposed as a chairman of the association by over 400 war veterans group dominated by the former Zanla liberation war fighters recently.

President Mugabe also appointed him as the minister of war veterans.

In the association he was replacing the former Chairman Jabulani Sibanda who was fired from the post and from Zanu-PF for allegedly accusing President Robert Mugabe and first lady Grace Mugabe for plotting a bedroom or boardroom coup against the former Vice President Joice Mujuru.

Other executive members elected were his deputy Headman Moyo, Secretary general Victor Matemadanda, treasurer Robert Ncube, Political Commissar Francis Nando and Secretary for security Malaki Mpofu. Mandi Chimene was elected secretary for information, secretary for transport and Welfare, Charles Mpofu, secretary for Legal affairs Chief Chivese and secretary for women affairs Esther Munyaradzi.

Ndebele said just having Mutsvangwa who is known Zanu-PF activist at the helm of the organization at the same time having him as a minister of the war veterans while the department also falls under the defence minister led by Sydney Sekeremayi a Zanu-PF senior member spells doom for the rest of the war veterans particular from the Zipra side.

"Majority of the executive members in the association were clearly drawn from Zanu-PF and this exposes that the idea of unity between Zanu-PF and Zapu is still being eliminated bit by bit and this will continue until there is nothing called unity," said Ndebele.

"It appears Zipra members were not seriously considered for positions and there is no longer any unity between the two military wings as derived from their leading parties during the war."

Ndebele said he as a Zipra member was disappointed by what is happening in the association saying Zipra members were treated as chaff that serves no purpose.

"If Mutsvangwa is the chairman of the war veterans at the same time he is appointed the minister of war veterans portfolio, how will he lobby and challenge himself over the issues affecting war veterans?" asked Ndebele.

He said the whole war veterans executive issue must not be treated with genuineness, but must be viewed as a political maneuver to consolidate Mugabe and Zanu-PF stay in power instead of pursuing the issues affecting war veterans whom majority of them are still wallowing in perpetual poverty 34 years after independence.

"Unless what they did is meant to campaign for Zanu-PF only, this executive will not help war veterans at all," said Ndebele.

"I am a Zipra and MDC chairman for a province and I am also able to lead, why Zipra members are not given a chance are? I wonder if the Zipra High Command who are there in Zanu-PF does not notice that Zipra is being sidelined."

Ndebele also said there was a wrong history being circulated by the government concerning the unity day which is celebrated on December 22 following the signing of the unity accord in 1987 by late Vice president Joshua Nkomo and President Mugabe.

"Children are not being told the truth," he said.

"They are just told that the day is being celebrated because Nkomo and Mugabe signed the unity accord and reasons for that are not given. They must tell the children that this unity was signed after over 20 000 people were killed by Gukurahundi in Matabeleland.  This is a fact which must be known and if told to everyone it will help prevent any future genocide."

Ndebele said there is a lot of truth which needs to be told about-PF Zapu and Zipra if the liberation of Zimbabwe's history has to be regarded as true.