War vets fire salvo at Mutsvangwa

MEMBERS of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) yesterday fired a salvo on sacked Veterans of Liberation Struggle Affairs minister Christopher Mutsvangwa accusing him of being an obstacle and a pompous politician who was ignoring their grievances.

This was revealed by ZNLWVA Manicaland chapter chairperson David Garwe at a Press conference held in Mutare yesterday.

Garwe was flanked by the ZNLWVA national secretary for lands Mike Makiweni, provincial secretary for lands Tendai Matasva, provincial secretary-general Ivan Mbengo and provincial deputy chairperson Tanda Rambiwa, among other war veterans.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa fired Mutsvangwa recently over alleged insubordination amid wild celebrations from some of his war veteran colleagues.

Garwe said they were not celebrating or cherishing Mutsvangwa’s demise but he was an obstacle to the resolution of their challenges which he was ignoring.

“We would like to put it on record that as war veterans, we do not celebrate nor cherish the demise of a colleague, more so a fellow war veteran but we feel greatly relieved when an obstacle to the realisation of our welfare goals is removed,” Garwe said.

“He was an obstacle and was even pompous. We can assure our colleagues that the way has been opened for us to escalate our welfare issues. The Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association vehemently condemns any form of prejudice or discriminatory practice against war veterans.”

The war veterans’ leader pleaded with Mnangagwa to appoint a war veterans minister who is sensitive to their needs.

He said Mutsvangwa’s removal from the post came at a time when they were being victimised and removed from land allocated to them.

“War veterans are being victimised or dispossessed of land allocated to them. The dispossession of land is a violation of both the provisions of section 21 cited above and sections 23 and 84 of the Constitution which direct the State and all institutions and agencies of government to accord us due respect,” he said.

Mutsvangwa did not answer his phone or text messages when NewsDay tried to contact him for a comment.