Liberators dismiss Nyikayarambas ranting

The former guerrillas said the remarks by 3 Brigade commander Brig Gen. Douglas Nyikayaramba, who said last week that security organizations would only back political leaders who fought in the liberation war, were treasonous.
“We would like to hope and believe that Brigadier Nyikayarambas views are not representative of the thinking of the officer corps of the defence forces and that they are just the ranting and raving of an isolated overzealous Zanu (PF) zealot; a clear misfit and an anachronism within the ranks of the national defence forces,” said a statement signed by Wilfred Mhanda and Happyson Nenji, board members of the Zimbabwe Liberators Platform, ZLP, a registered civic organisation formed by genuine former liberation fighters.
“It would be interesting to hear what his superiors within the defence forces and Minister of Defence have to say about his clearly treasonous statements. “No professional soldier should ever be seen to be expressing public contempt for the Constitution by stating partisan political support and we demand his immediate resignation. Furthermore, we demand a disciplinary hearing into his conduct as should be required in a professional army. We therefore would expect an immediate repudiation of the view expressed by his superiors. “
The ZLP said Zimbabwe’s military should respect and support the verdict of the electorate, and the people of Zimbabwe are entitled to a free and fair electoral process. “If Brigadier Nyikayaramba, and those of like mind, fought for Zanu (PF) and Mugabe to rule Zimbabwe forever, we wish to state unequivocally that the majority of the freedom fighters within both ZANLA and ZIPRA fought among other things, for unfettered political freedom and democracy based on the right to vote on the basis of one-person-one vote,” the ZLP said.
“We wonder whether the Brigadier had any political education at all during the war. Maybe, as he says he joined the struggle at the age of 14, he was intellectually challenged at that age to have comprehended the purpose and objective of the liberation war. For the record, the overwhelming majority of the freedom fighters were never card carrying members of political parties.