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NewsDay

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War vets ditch Zanu PF

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GWERU — Ten war veterans in Vungu, Gweru district have defected from Zanu PF to join the Welshman Ncube-led MDC, saying they were tired of being used to unleash violence on their neighbours. The veterans said they had “liberated” Vungu from Zanu PF by joining the MDC. Speaking to NewsDay on the sidelines of an […]

GWERU — Ten war veterans in Vungu, Gweru district have defected from Zanu PF to join the Welshman Ncube-led MDC, saying they were tired of being used to unleash violence on their neighbours.

The veterans said they had “liberated” Vungu from Zanu PF by joining the MDC.

Speaking to NewsDay on the sidelines of an MDC rally on Sunday, Joel Nyoka, whose struggle name was Mataramombe, said he felt relieved after leaving President Robert Mugabe’s party.

“We left Zanu PF six months ago though on different occasions,” he said. “We are about 10 but there are many comrades still trapped in Zanu PF.

“They want to leave but they are scared and shy to do so.In Zanu PF, we were treated like party property, forced to cause terror in the community against our will.”

At the rally, Nyoka disclosed that he “brutally assaulted his cousin” who is now disabled in 2008 and begged for forgiveness from the community.

Another war veteran, Sydney Sibanda, said he opted for the MDC as “it is far removed from violence”.

“This area, Tovo 2, is now a liberated zone,” he said.

“War veterans still in Zanu PF attempted to block this rally from being held after hearing that we have joined the MDC. But we said to them, we are not scared of you, we are not part of Zanu PF anymore.”

The veterans said they were told that farms allocated to them under the land reform programme would be repossessed and monthly gratuities terminated should they dump Zanu PF, but vowed never to return.