WAR VETS BACK CHIWENGA

War veterans have said they back Defence Forces Commander, Gen Chiwenga and said his action was long overdue.

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association, Douglas Mahiya said :“The remarks by Chiwenga are very welcome although they come late. But its better late than never.”

Mahiya said the army is simply trying to stop further suffering of not only the Zimbabwe people but those in the military as well who are not getting enough support from the state.

“If nothing changes, the people are disgruntled, the army is disgruntled. We had the other day the chief of staff in the army saying the uniforms are torn, the state cannot afford to buy them uniform and they have patches, and the rations have been cut down. The army is absolutely in a dire state. On the other hand, the whole population, the people have got problem, they cue everyday for $20 and are told its not there come back tomorrow. Everybody is disgruntled with the state of affairs in the country, this is why I say that when this happens, you cannot blame the army if it decided to take over and stop the rot that is going on.”


In his press conference, Chiwenga referred to the lack of meaningful development in the country in the past five years due to squabbling in Zanu-PF which he says has impacted Zimbabweans social, political and economic lives.

United Kingdom-based political analyst Llyod Msipa said Chiwenga’s decision to weigh in is a direct attack on the pre-liberation Generation 40 or G40 group aligned to First Lady Grace Mugabe, which sparked Mnangagwa’s dismissal, claiming he was disloyal to the president and was plotting to overthrow him.

“The so-called counter revolutionaries he was talking about, these are the people who have not been in the war. They have literally taken over the party and everybody who is associated with what the preamble says, what the constitution says the respect of all the people who fought in the war has been done away with.”

Msipa says the presence of other senior military officers at the press conference aims to show President Mugabe that the army is united in calling for an end to the purge of its fellow war veterans.

“If Mugabe responds to this in a way that is not a political process, the army will step in. You see I don’t think General Chiwenga was actually bluffing when he maid that statement, because the instability in Zanu-PF has affected everybody, within and outside Zimbabwe.”

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