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Cde Sibanda

Herald Reporter
War veterans linked to ousted Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association chairperson Jabulani Sibanda yesterday unwittingly confessed to working with the Americans in a bid to effect regime change in Zimbabwe.

The group also confirmed working with Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn and seeking the assistance of former South African president Thabo Mbeki and Botswana president Ian Khama to oust President Mugabe.

A source who attended the meeting said the group blamed Zanu-PF secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa of “misinforming” President Mugabe on Jabulani Sibanda’s “bedroom coup’’ utterances and his plans to mobilise for a march to State House.

This, the source said, was why the group had set up a committee of seven people led by ex-police officer Assistant Commissioner Everisto Pfumvuti that was tasked to explain their position to President Mugabe.

In a statement yesterday, signed by ZNLWVA national secretary for publicity Major James Kaunye (Retired), the camp made the confession as they tried to lampoon the group which booted out Jabulani Sibanda last week.

In the statement, the group also confirmed that Jabulani Sibanda and his team wanted to march to State House ostensibly to meet President Mugabe after being accused of various transgressions, among them disrespecting President Mugabe, who is the patron of the ZNLWVA and First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe by implying that they effecting “a bedroom coup’’ on Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru.

The group said they had unsuccessfully tried to meet President Mugabe since 1992.

“Our last resort was, therefore, to go and meet him where he could be found, like we did in the million men march of 2007 which was our brain child, in support and solidarity with the President which culminated in His Excellency addressing us,” said Rtd Maj Kaunye in the statement.

The Jabulani Sibanda camp has also been accused of jumping ship as they wanted to meet President Mugabe without going through Presidential Affairs Minister Didymus Mutasa.

President Mugabe has ordered the war veterans to reconstitute themselves before the Zanu-PF Congress slated for December 2 to 7.

Cde Sibanda’s group, according to sources, is opposing the call and vowed to use their discretion in picking up delegates for the congress

The group has reportedly proposed to go to the congress with about 40 people from each province.

The group yesterday accused Cdes George Mlala, Bastain Beta and Chillis Mutanda of trying to topple President Mugabe from office in 2008 using Southern African presidents and non-governmental organisations.

The American war veterans’ Federation, it is believed, had also agreed to support the team with funding.

“This same group wrote a letter to the then South African president Thabo Mbeki and the President of Botswana (Ian Khama) pleading with them to help oust President Mugabe whom they accused of being the sole problem in the then Zimbabwean situation,” read the statement.

“In the same year the same group called provincial members to a meeting in Harare at Chillis Mutanda’s Samora Machel offices purporting that Americans would help war veterans if they gave up their political allegiance to Zanu-PF.”

In response, Cde Mlala said he was not aware of the letter Cde Sibanda’s team was talking about, adding that he last met Cdes Beta and Mutanda long back.

“I do not know when I last saw Mutanda and as for Beta I am not close to him. He was in Zanla and I was with Zipra,” he said.

“Does Jabu know the implications of such utterances? He is making a mistake after a mistake. Our concern has been that he had no right to say what he said in the media and in Manicaland. He had negated the visit by First Lady and can he explain to the nation how he came to know about HE’s bedroom.”

Cde Mlala added: “When he said VP Mujuru was being persecuted for crimes committed by General Solomon Mujuru was he suggesting that he knows that General Mujuru is guilty of certain things? Can he tell the nation the offences Mujuru committed? He is childish and if he has nothing to say he should keep quiet.”

The group went on to accuse former war veterans leader Cde Patrick Nyaruwata of working with Mavambo Kusile Dawn to denigrate President Mugabe, adding that he had attended the party’s meeting held at Elephant Hills in 2008. Cde Nyaruwata was also accused of mismanaging and misappropriating ZEXCOM, SNACOP and ware veterans shares in Telecel Zimbabwe.

But Cde Nyaruwata said the accusations were coming from “desperate” people and war veterans would go ahead to reconstitute themselves as directed by President Mugabe.

“In 2007, they said I addressed an MDC meeting in Chitungwiza . . . Saizi yangu ndingaonekwe ndichitevera mwana mudiki Simba Makoni. Kutamba netsvina pasina mvura uku,” he said.

“What they are saying is irrelevant and I was sick that time they are accusing me of those issues. The chairman (Chenjerai Hunzvi) was in charge. We are going to choose a new executive. They are no longer there,” he said.

The group also accused war veteran Cde Joseph Chinotimba of mismanaging mechanisation tractors which had been entrusted to him as a board member of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.