WAR veterans yesterday accused the United States of extending sanctions on Zimbabwe in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of seven civilians by the military on August 1, suggesting the killings were an act of self-defence after Zanu PF property went under siege from the protesters.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association secretary-general Victor Matemadanda said the US had ignored worst cases of human rights abuses in other parts of Africa, citing the Marikana Mine shooting in South Africa.
Despite the wide condemnation of the killings during protests by MDC Alliance supporters demanding that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) release the July 30 presidential results, Matemadanda said the US acted in bad faith and suggested that Zimbabwe must totally ignore all re-engagement efforts with Donald Trump’s administration.
“You go to Zanu PF Harare offices, offices were destroyed. Here at Zanu PF headquarters, buses and property were destroyed. (People come) to attack a party headquarters and they want to vent their anger on Zec and why did they fight Zanu PF when they have a query against Zec?” Matemadanda said.
“What is the logic of saying Zanu PF has a winning candidate from an election that is being run by Zec? You go and attack Zanu PF offices instead of attacking Zec, why? Those were enemies of Zanu PF, clearly, and how from an uniformed point of view you wake up and find your home surrounded by people holding knobkerries, stones and how are you supposed to react?
“If you wake up, come out from your office and find people throwing stones and destroying property, what law condemns you for reacting. It’s American law.”
Matemadanda accused MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa of hobnobbing with former President Robert Mugabe, whom he accused of engineering the abduction of activist Itai Dzamara in 2015 by suspected State agents.
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Matemadanda said the late MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai must be turning in his grave over the relationship between Mugabe and Chamisa. He also accused Mugabe of influencing Chamisa to file an electoral petition that is set to be heard at the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) today.
Matemadanda went on to mock MDC Alliance principal Tendai Biti for fleeing to Zambia after suspected elements within the military besieged his family home shortly after the July 30 elections.
“Biti said he was going to die on the streets if MDC was not going to win, but we found him in the streets of Zambia. How do you take the streets of Harare for Livingstone?” he said.
Meanwhile, the war veterans are today expected to submit a petition calling on the government to rename Robert Mugabe International Airport. Matemadanda claimed the country had unnecessarily
over-honoured Mugabe.
“Last, but not least, he (Mugabe) proved to be a political abortionist who allowed the role-usurpation of his presidency to a clueless wife, leading an uncouth faction. Propelled by the desire to portray the image of Zimbabwe in good light and the historical and future legacy of Zanu PF and Zimbabwe, we humbly and honestly present our petition to have the airport name changed,” the petition read.
