Although a truce had been negotiated by senior Zanu (PF) politburo members, associates of the self-styled war vets’ chairman say they now want revenge.
“We want to teach the leadership in the Masvingo not to insult the leader of Zimbabwe's war veterans. Sibanda is the chairman even of cabinet ministers who are war vets. He does not have to ask for permission to campaign for Zanu (PF) anywhere, especially in areas where we are losing support because of poor leadership like Masvingo,” said a senior member of Sibanda's entourage at the weekend.
He said the war vets’ association was planning a huge meeting to be attended by members from all over the country to demonstrate in Masvingo and denounce “corruption in the filling of party posts”, uncovered during Sibanda's unsanctioned party restructuring.
Sibanda launched a campaign called “Operation Kubudirana Pachena” alleging there was a lot of rot in the party. He said the top brass in the province, including politburo members, were lying to people and he had come to tell them the truth about the effects of their wayward actions.
He was ordered to leave the province by the end of June by local chairman Lovemore Matuke. The two had clashed after Sibanda openly aligned himself with the so-called Zvobgo faction, often seen in the company of Eddison Zvobgo Junior who is reported to be campaigning to become MP. Matuke belongs to the Mnangagwa faction, which also has the backing of war veterans Masvingo provincial chief Isaiah Muzenda, a sworn enemy of Sibanda.
Instead of vacating as ordered, Sibanda's group threatened violence against the local party leadership. A peace summit was eventually held and temperatures cooled off a bit, until war veterans from all over the country converged here informally at the weekend and decided to revive the issue.
War veterans have increasingly been in open contempt of the civilian administration of Zanu (PF) accusing the civilians of being corrupt.
Post published in: Zimbabwe News