Police bar war vets again

HARARE police say a meeting called by a faction of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) for tomorrow cannot proceed. Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said organisers of the event had been given several conditions to be met before the event was cleared to take place, but this had not happened.

"With regard to the war veterans meeting slated for Thursday, the ZRP has not yet cleared the war veterans. They recently approached the police and gave notice and said the venue was Zanu-PF Headquarters and they were given some requirements by the regulatory authority [Officer Commanding Harare Central District Chief Superintendent Newbert Saunyama] that they should meet," Snr Asst Comm Charamba said.

"However, today (yesterday) they came back starting afresh, saying that the venue was now City Sports Centre, changing their story."

She declined to disclose some of the requirements the war veterans leaders had failed to fulfil.

"The meeting can only be held when the conditions have been met," she insisted.

Police fired teargas and used water cannons on February 18 after war veterans loyal to the embattled Chris Mutsvangwa gathered at the City Sports Centre intending to hold a meeting. Police said the meeting had not been cleared under the country's law and order laws.

Following those skirmishes, a group of war veterans led by Mandi Chimene announced that Mutsvangwa and his executive had been deposed, with the Manicaland Provincial Minister of State announced as the new leader.

Mutsvangwa - who is also the War Veterans' Minister - also drew the ire of President Mugabe who said he had provoked the police and placed unsuspecting war veterans in harm's way.

Blasted the President: "For him (Mutsvangwa) to have called a meeting about which we knew nothing about, in circumstances in which he had not clearly sought permission from the authorities in violation therefore of the law, and he being a minister, he cannot at the end after the law and order officers have taken action against the meeting and the war veterans complain that he was ill-treated.

"He must bear the responsibility. He (Mutsvangwa) has acted in a manner we describe as irresponsible and a manner that brings the name of the party and government into disrepute. We regret that the war veterans suffered this (police battering) but the man to blame is their minister and of course he has to answer why he did that without authority."

Addressing journalists in Harare on Monday, Victor Matemadanda, the secretary general of the Mutsvangwa faction of the war veterans said they had cleared with the police for the meeting set for the Harare City Sports Centre.

"Police were notified and we have their permission in writing," he claimed.