The Sunday News
WAR veterans should not let the golden chance to meet their patron President Mugabe on 7 April slip through their hands as issues affecting them will be discussed in detail as promised, the Minister of Welfare Services for War Veterans, War Collaborators, Ex-Political Detainees and Restrictees Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube said yesterday.
Rtd Col Dube told Sundays News that it was disturbing to note that some war veterans were starting to blame the Zanu-PF Secretary for War Veterans, Detainees and their Welfare and Defence Minister, Cde Sydney Sekeramayi, for allowing security chiefs and Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa and his entire executive to attend a preparatory meeting that was held in Harare on Wednesday.
“We take strong exception to put the blame on one Minister, in this case Cde Sekeramayi. He is not doing these things single-handedly. He has our full support on what he said. We are going ahead with the mandate put by President Mugabe,” said Rtd Col Dube.
“It’s unfortunate for some to say they will not attend the 7 April meeting. We are dealing with people not one person. I think it would be in the best interests of all the comrades to be serious as this is a golden chance that their patron has presented to them. We should not spoil the broth, if we do that we will not have anyone to blame but ourselves. Being extreme in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.”
On Thursday, Cde George Mlala who said he was representing Cde Mandi Chimene told a Press Conference in Harare that they were not happy with the presence of Cde Mutsvangwa and his entire executive at the preparatory meeting. Cde Mlala also distributed a letter that he said he wrote to Cde Sekeramayi indicating that they were also not happy with the presence of security chiefs as well.
Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander, General Constantine Chiwenga, Air Force commander, Air Marshal Perence Shiri, Zimbabwe National Army commander Lieutenant-General Philip Valerio Sibanda and Commissioner-General, Dr Augustine Chihuri attended the meeting. Also present were CIO Deputy Director-General Aaron Daniel Tonde Nhepera, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Deputy Commissioner-General Fadzai Mupfure who represented their bosses, Retired Major-General Paradzai Zimondi and Happyton Bonyongwe.
“It is unfair to blame Cde Sekeremayi with regards to the Wednesday meeting because what we do we do it as an inter-ministerial committee that is made up of myself, Cde Kembo Mohadi (State Security),Cde Ignatius Chombo (Home Affairs) and Cde Sekeramayi. We sit down and plan and agree what to do. It’s not fair to blame Sekeramayi and he is not associated with treachery,” said Rtd Col Dube.
In response to Cde Mlala’s statements on Thursday, Cde Sekeramyi said “our” assignment from President Mugabe was very straight forward that they should invite war veterans and advise them that their meeting will be held on 7 April.
“Secondly, we were not there to deal with individuals. The meeting is going ahead as planned. The Generals are as authentic war veterans as everyone who attended. You can’t exclude serving members of the security forces,” Cde Sekeramayi was quoted as saying.
Rtd Col Dube also said it is not correct to say the security commanders should not have been included in the meeting, saying they were important stakeholders.
