Several placard-carrying war veterans yesterday besieged Finance minister Tendai Biti’s offices for the seventh time since last year demanding the MDC-T secretary-general’s resignation for reportedly failing to address their concerns.
Report by Feluna Nleya/Moses Matenga
The war veterans, carrying placards inscribed “Biti has failed to run the economy and must go now”, brought business to a standstill threatening anyone who wanted to gain entry into the offices that house other ministries’ offices.
Government workers could also not get into their offices fearing a backlash from the visibly angry war veterans.
Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association secretary for lands Harare province Isso Madzivanyika said they were following up on the petitions they left earlier this year.
“We are following up on our petition that we handed over to him and we want the civil servants’ demands to be addressed immediately. We are not going to leave this place until our issues are addressed,” he said.
Biti was not immediately available for comment, but MDC-T Harare provincial spokesperson and Deputy Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs Obert Gutu condemned the demonstrations, saying the war veterans were barking up the wrong tree.
Gutu, whose offices are also housed at the New Government Complex, said he was forced to park his car outside the parking lot as the war veterans had barricaded the entrance.
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“I couldn’t drive in because they were menacing and I was forced to park my car outside,” Gutu said.
“We respect the war veterans particularly for the role they played in fighting the racist settler regime of Ian Smith to ensure that we gain independence in April 1980. That said, war veterans’ welfare has never been on top of Zanu PF’s agenda. Over the years, the Zanu PF government has never really bothered itself with the welfare of war veterans.
“They should know that their enemy is not Biti. Their enemy is Zanu PF which has since set up a parallel government by privatising the proceeds of diamond sales in Marange and Chiadzwa. Instead of demonstrating at Biti’s offices, I urge them to stage massive demonstrations at Zanu PF headquarters.”
The war veterans first picketed Biti’s offices in June 2011, then in April, May, June, July and August 2012 over numerous demands.
