THE Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA) yesterday described President Robert Mugabe as an unrepentant and deceitful tyrant, whose end was nigh, as he would soon be forced out of the ruling Zanu PF by the party’s real owners.
BY RICHARD CHIDZA
In a statement that came short of anointing ousted Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa as leader of a splinter party from Zanu PF, the former fighters claimed Mugabe had “betrayed the revolution”.
“We are stating in no uncertain terms that we disown Mugabe. With immediate effect, we are in complete defiance of his leadership of the revolutionary Zanu PF. We are reclaiming our party. He [Mugabe] is free to go and form his G40 party with his receptionist wife (First Lady Grace). The Patriotic Front belongs to us. If he wants, he can resuscitate Frolizi (Front for the Liberation of Zimbabwe,” part of the statement signed by ZNLWVA secretary-general Victor Matemadanda read.
“[We are] appalled by the uncalled for and abrupt sacking of Vice-President ED Mnangagwa from his position as national Vice-President and do hereby state, categorically, that Robert Mugabe is deceitful. He was never a revolutionary. Instead, he is a poster boy for the British South Africa Company (BSAC) principles that he pretends to hate. He is its darling, hence, his knighting by the Queen [of England] and his support for the G40 cabal that is sponsored by remnants of the BSAC.”
Matemadanda said the war veterans were inviting other ousted former Zanu PF stalwarts, among them former Vice-President Joice Mujuru, Didymus Mutasa, Rugare Gumbo, Dumiso Dabengwa and Simba Makoni “to come and lead us in the fight against Mugabe”.
“As such, we have expelled Robert Gabriel Mugabe as president and first secretary of Zanu PF. In the same manner, we have fired Grace Mugabe [First Lady], [Higher Education minister] Jonathan Moyo, [Vice-President] Phelekezela Mphoko, [political commissar Saviour] Kasukuwere, [secretary for administration] Ignatius Chombo and [Mugabe’s nephew] Patrick Zhuwao,” the war veterans said.
