By Fungi Kwaramba
War veterans, who are locked in a vicious fight with President Robert Mugabe, insist they are the bedrock of Zanu PF despite their expulsion on Wednesday.
The former freedom fighters fell out with Mugabe last month after they grew disillusioned with the Zanu PF leader’s attitude towards them.
“We were expelled last night so we have not made a decision, but what I can tell you now is that some people are trying to separate us from Zanu PF that is impossible, we cannot be expelled because we are the bedrock of that party,” said war veterans’ spokesperson, Douglas Mahiya.
“What is important to notice is that we were not ever taken to the disciplinary committee. On the day we were supposed to go for the hearing that is the day we went to court so they did as they pleased.
“But what I know is that the idea behind these expulsions is that they want to expel every true war veteran. But let them know that we are still alive and we will remain war veterans,” he added.
On Wednesday, Zanu PF, at its politburo meeting, announced it had expelled war veterans Headman Moyo, Mahiya, Francis Nhando and secretary-general, Victor Matemadanda — who were part of the group that issued a damning communiqué which angered Mugabe.
War veterans have been one of Mugabe and Zanu PF’s strongest pillars of support over the past five decades, playing particularly significant roles to keep the nonagenarian in power in the hotly-disputed 2000 and 2008 elections which were both marred by serious violence and the murder of hundreds of opposition supporters.
Last month, the ex-combatants issued a damning communiqué ending their relationship with their patron, in a move which rocked the nonagenarian and Zanu PF to their foundations.
The panicking government responded to this by swooping on the war veterans’ leadership, in a brutal crackdown which has drawn outrage and widespread condemnation not just in Zimbabwe, but also around the world. Daily News
