PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe says he has called for a no-holds-barred meeting with war veterans at the beginning of next month and urged those calling for his resignation to put forward a challenger for a gruelling duel with him at the next Zanu PF congress in 2019.
EVERSON MUSHAVA
Mugabe said the current turbulence in Zanu PF were caused by greed for power, with some ruling party officials orchestrating his ouster before the expiry of his term.
Addressing thousands of Zanu PF supporters at a rally in Bindura yesterday, Mugabe vowed he would not step down unless he is beaten at the next congress in 2019.
He said the gloves-off meeting with war veterans would be attended by all stakeholders, including ministers and securocrats.
Mugabe said the meeting would be used to whip some errant war veterans into line, while the party would also hear the problems facing the ex-combatants.
The veteran ruler said it would be catastrophic for the ex-fighters to form political groupings.
“We have always said politics should lead the gun,” he said.
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“We did not say those who fought (the liberation struggle) will be on the forefront to rule. If we have others, who have lost their minds or memories, they should be straightened. We should not have a political group of war veterans. We cannot win in an election.
“We said war vets should join the party and lead where they can and mobilise people to be united, not that they should single themselves out of the party. Now we have said, we want a day at the beginning of April, when you (war veterans) come to Harare so that we talk about that and we also hear of your problems.”
Zanu PF is currently locked in bitter factional wars with some party members aligning themselves to Vice-Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Team Lacoste faction.
Others are supporting the G40 faction, which reportedly enjoys the support of Mugabe and his wife First Lady Grace Mugabe.
Some war veterans have been mobilising against Mugabe in the past few weeks after they were teargassed when they wanted to hold a meeting to castigate Grace for attacking them and the embattled VP at a rally in Chiweshe last month.
The allegedly unsanctioned meeting resulted in the suspension of their leader Christopher Mutsvangwa from Zanu PF, before he was subsequently recalled from government as War Veterans minister.
Mugabe yesterday attacked Mutsvangwa and his group, saying the scheduled meeting would allow the party to rein in errant war veterans, who had now become a bad influence on party youths.
“That meeting when the war vets were blocked by the police, I was not even aware of it. We will meet next month and will tell each other the truth, without fear. Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi, State Security minister Kembo Mohadi, Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri and Paradzai Zimondi (Prison Services boss) will all attend the meeting.”
He said it was an unheard of practice for youngsters to insult elders, particularly him and Grace.
“They (youth) now use dirty language to scold me and the First Lady, publishing detrimental information, saying I should be removed,” Mugabe said.
“We had elections in 2013. I was not voted into power to quit before I finish my term. Those who want to take over, who think they are better leaders, should present their names at the next congress and if they are elected, they take over.”
Earlier, Mugabe had officially opened Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University, where he pleaded with churches to pray for the revival of morals in the country.
