The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube and Mncedisi Buhali Sunday News Reporters—
VIOLENT clashes reigned supreme at a Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association Bulawayo provincial meeting held in Entumbane yesterday, which was meant to introduce a new interim committee to lead the province. Police officers had to be called to monitor proceedings and prevent rival factions from further clashes.
The meeting, that was initially meant to start at 9am, only got under way at 12.30pm but only lasted two minutes with over 200 war veterans baying for the blood of national treasurer Cde Robert Ncube, who had been asked to introduce the interim committee.
The interim structure was appointed as part of a cleansing exercise to weed out elements linked to former Vice President Joice Mujuru, an exercise which saw the Cde Japhet Phuthi-led executive being dissolved on 13 February.
While introducing the new committee, Cde Ncube just stood in front of the people, without explaining anything and announced the names of the new committee.
“I have highlighted the people who are now supposed to be taking over and my job is done, this meeting is dismissed,” he said.
However, his sentiments were met with jeers with some members shouting obscenities and threatening to beat up Cde Ncube and members of the interim committee who were present.
During the scuffle, Cde Shadreck Sibanda, the interim secretary for security, pulled down the Zimbabwean flag and threatened war veterans who were jeering with a brick.
War veterans interviewed alleged that the interim committee was made up of people who had been sent by the Zapu leadership led by Dr Dumiso Dabengwa to destroy the provincial war veterans’ structure.
“How can someone take names from his pocket and want to impose them on us? Besides, we all know that these people are Zapu. They are just on a mission to destroy. Right now they came and broke the padlock of our office and one of them just pulled down our national flag, which in itself is a sign of disrespect.
“We will not give in, we won’t allow anyone to impose people on us Cde (Chris) Mutsvangwa should come here and tell us what he is trying to do,” said one war veteran who preferred anonymity.
Some of the war veterans were seen openly pushing and shoving both Cde Ncube and Cde Sibanda, who had to speed off and later come back under police escort.
Former Zanu-PF Central Committee member Cde Molly Mpofu, who was also part of the war veterans against the interim committee, later addressed both the crowd and the interim committee, proclaiming that they wanted Cde Mutsvangwa to come and explain the “mess” he had caused in the province.
She said it was mind boggling that only Bulawayo province had been affected by the exercise and added that they did not understand how the interim committee had been selected.
“You should go back to Cde Mutsvangwa and tell him we want to know why and how he did all this, we don’t know all these people who have been imposed on us, why is it only Bulawayo which has been affected.
“If he is serious about coming up with a provincial structure, people should have been drawn from all the 10 districts in Bulawayo. What has happened today could have been easily avoided but their own people are very disrespectful, right now one of them just pulled down our flag, which is clearly a sign of disrespect,” said Cde Mpofu.
She said as a province they would not allow anyone to be imposed on them.
“Instead of imposing, dialogue was supposed to take place. No one should feel as if they are bigger than anyone. We are all equal and fall under our President who alone is bigger than all of us,” said Cde Mpofu.
Cde Phuthi declined comment, saying he had been invited to the meeting hence could not give any official comment.
“I cannot say anything to you as you can see for yourself what is happening,” he said.
However, Cde Ncube said as a mere messenger he had tried to lead the meeting professionally but alleged he had been disturbed by a few individuals who were influencing the rest into violence.
“As you saw for yourselves I tried announcing the new interim executive but was stopped by those violent individuals, we had to call the police to intervene but they advised us to call off the meeting because it was becoming more volatile.
“I now have to report back to the national leadership for us to draw a way forward, after which we will possibly try and meet the membership again,” said Cde Ncube.
Cde Mutsvangwa yesterday said while he had not yet received a report on the meeting; it was simply part of efforts by the national leadership to weed out any divisive elements.
“Members will be able to elect people they want into the executive at a special meeting which the interim committee will set. We simply want to get rid of elements within our structures linked to former Vice President Cde Joice Mujuru,” said Cde Mutsvangwa who revealed that they would soon meet to draw a way forward.
The new interim executive has Cde Roy Maphosa as the chairperson, Cde Bheki Ndlovu (deputy chair), Cde Collen Ndlovu (secretary), Cde Albert Mkandla (treasurer) and Cde Shadreck Sibanda (security).
The committee members are, Cdes Thabitha Moyo, Morris Nhliziyo, Agrippa Tshuma, Langelihle Mathe, Emelia Kaninji and Morrison Sibanda.
