By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |
President Robert Mugabe on Wednesday warned that rebellious ex-combatants who were calling on him to step down would be “severely punished” and, by evening the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) spokesperson, Douglas Mahiya, was arrested.
Reports last night indicated that some seven armed men stormed Mahiya’s house in Chitungwiza and held his family hostage including a 6 month old baby.
According to a Crisis in Zimbabwe alert, the men in a Toyota Vigo besieged Mahiya’s home demanding that the ZNLWVA information secretary must surrender himself and that no-one must leave the residence.
Family members’ phones were reportedly confiscated, according to the Crisis report.
Mahiya is said to have surrendered himself at the Zimbabwe Republic Police Law and Order section in the company of his lawyer, Nyika Kanengoni of Kanengoni and Partners.
Police spokesperson Charity Charamba confirmed the arrest saying “Yes, he has been arrested and investigations are going on and we will furnish you with more details later.”
It was not immediately clear what charges Mahiya would face, but his arrest is believed to be linked to a war vets communique shared after a meeting in Harare last Thursday in which the ex-combatants described Mugabe as too old and a dictator.
The veterans said they would no longer campaign for Mugabe as he had also run down the economy and was frustrating financial aid.
Government authorities subsequently announced that security agents had launched a probe into who authored the communique.
On Wednesday, Mugabe was invited to address party supporters in Harare and said the current veterans’ leadership must be dissolved, promising harsh action against the rebels.
War veterans are an army reserve force whose commander-in-chief is Mugabe and they are bound by the Defence Act. Authorities have already implied that the communique to which Mahiya may be linked is treasonous.
There are fears that more war veterans, among them ZNLWVA chairman, Chris Mutsvangwa, secretary general Victor Matemedanda and another ex-combatant, Francis Nhando, face the same fate as Mahiya. Nehanda Radio
