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War vets attack Zanu PF officials

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Zipra Veterans’ Trust interim chairman Buster Magwizi yesterday accused former Zapu members still in Zanu PF of being opportunists only interested in their own financial well-being. Senior Zapu officials, led by former Home Affairs minister Dumiso Dabengwa, pulled out of Zanu PF in 2009, citing unfulfilled promises. Zapu says the move marked the end of […]

Zipra Veterans’ Trust interim chairman Buster Magwizi yesterday accused former Zapu members still in Zanu PF of being opportunists only interested in their own financial well-being.

Senior Zapu officials, led by former Home Affairs minister Dumiso Dabengwa, pulled out of Zanu PF in 2009, citing unfulfilled promises.

Zapu says the move marked the end of the 1987 Unity Accord which saw it merging with Zanu PF to end a deadly conflict that claimed lives of more than 20 000 people in Matabeleland and Midlands.

But some officials remained in Zanu PF and insist the pact is still intact.

Magwizi, a former Zipra combatant, said the accord was a marriage of convenience which had outlived its usefulness.

“Gukurahundi resulted in Zapu uniting with Zanu PF and the name Zapu was abandoned for the sake of peace,” he said.

“Only the Zanu PF name featured and when we true members of Zapu noticed that the history of our party was being distorted, we decided to pull out to bring it back to life.”

He said people must not be misled by those who claim to still represent Zapu in Zanu PF.

He singled out Bulawayo Metropolitan Governor and Resident Minister Cain Mathema and Mines and Mining Development minister Obert Mpofu as some of the officials who must not claim to be Zapu.

Mpofu yesterday said he was Zanu PF and was proud of it.

“No one represents Zapu in Zanu PF,” he said. “We represent the people who elected us and I will never be the Zapu that Magwizi talks about. The fact is we are in the united Zanu PF where the original Zapu is.”

Mathema was last month involved in a heated exchange with Zapu officials who claim he deserted the party long before the Unity Accord.