By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |
Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) president at the weekend met war veterans, former sworn enemies who repeatedly accused him of being a western regime change proxy.
Tsvangirai’s co-deputy, Nelson Chamisa, recently told a party rally that he was ready to take up the responsibility of engaging the war veterans, who have also met with leaders of civil society.
Local media reported that Tsvangirai met Victor Matemadanda, the war vets secretary general, and others so as to discuss the economic and political problems that Zimbabwe is currently going through.
The ex-combatants at one time vowed that Tsvangirai would never rule Zimbabwe because he did not participate in the war of liberation that brought independence in 1980.
They terrorised and allegedly killed citizens perceived to be members of Tsvangirai’s party from the time the MDC was formed in 1999.
Tsvangirai and the war vets reportedly discussed strengthening relations between the two parties ij addition to plotting unseating President Robert Mugabe.
Long seen as his paratroopers, the war veterans recently disengaged with Mugabe who they described as a “genocidal dictator”
They have publicly thrown their weight behind Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa to take over from Mugabe ahead of the 2018 general elections. Nehanda Radio
