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Zanu-pf Midlands deputy chairman Cde Daniel Mackenzie Ncube (centre) addresses a Press conference while Mashonaland West provincial chairman Cde Ephraim Chengeta (left) and Masvingo chairman Cde Amasa Nhenjama look on in Harare yesterday. — (Picture by Innocent Makawa)

Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
Zanu-PF provinces yesterday criticised a communiqué purportedly issued by members of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Associations on Thursday last week attacking President Mugabe.

No one has so far claimed authorship of the communiqué.

The so-called communiqué was circulated in the media without a signature appended to it soon after a ZNLWVA meeting held in Harare.

War veterans, through their Government portfolio led by Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube, have distanced themselves from the document saying security agencies have been activated to trace its origins.

Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi yesterday said the document could be the work of Fifth Columnists.

This comes as it emerged that another document — Blue Ocean – that was also linked to the freedom fighters, had not originated from them.

Addressing journalists soon after their meeting in Harare yesterday, Zanu-PF provincial chairpersons issued a collective statement condemning the communiqué.

The communiqué was read by Midlands deputy chairperson Cde Daniel Mackenzie.

“We, the chairpersons of the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) representing the 10 provinces of the country, are alarmed by the statement issued out of a meeting of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association held at Raylton Sports Club in Harare on Thursday 21st July 2016,” said Cde Mackenzie.

“Our concern is with the substance and form of the statement which impugns the person and Office of the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Commander-In-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and patron of the ZNLWVA.”

He said the party condemned the statement and those who authored it.

Cde Mackenzie called on the party to take action against those implicated in authoring and distributing the document.

Meanwhile, Minister Sekeramayi was quoted saying: “You also get a situation that it might be our enemies.

“In any organisation there are some people who are persuaded whom we normally refer to as the Fifth Column. They might be used by our enemies to infiltrate us. A treacherous document of that nature is not just written without people converging and agreeing on points to make.”