Be involved, war vets told

Blessings Chidakwa Mashonaland West Bureau
THE Zimbabwe Liberation and War Collaborators Association national leadership has called on its members to take a leading role in the ruling Zanu-PF party by taking positions from cell up to national level during the ongoing party restructuring exercise.

Addressing Mashonaland West provincial and district leaders in Chinhoyi recently, ZILIWACO national vice chairperson Cde Josephine Gandiya urged members to stand solidly behind President Mnangagwa.

ZILIWACO is expected to hold its Annual General Meeting on August 24 in Harare, with the Mashonaland West provincial leadership endorsing Cde Pupurai Togarepi to retain his position.

“Let’s stand firmly with President Mnangagwa and do not permit saboteurs to lead Zanu-PF while freedom fighters stand idle,” he said.

“We want that which makes Zanu-PF continue to move forward not to betray the party due to greedy or money.
“Be party of the Zanu-PF structures from cell up to national level, but do not fight among yourselves. If a certain figure has potential to lead, offer that person maximum support regardless of any differences.”

The call by ZILIWACO leaders comes at a time the Zanu-PF commissariat department has directed all provincial structures to implement a 2017 Extraordinary Congress resolution providing for leadership roles for veterans of the liberation struggle.
The circular from the commissariat also states that the posts of political commissariat and deputy commissariat from cell level to provincial level should be preferably filled by war veterans.

The posts of secretary and deputy secretary for security from cell level to provincial should also preferably be filled by war veterans.

Cde Gandiya took a swipe at some Zanu-PF officials being involved in money laundering, saying they were partly to blame on the economic challenges being experienced across the country.

She appealed to Government to prioritise people in rural areas when allocating buses and opening up Silo shops as they were the most vulnerable to unjustified price hikes.

“The prices of basic commodities and transport cost are more exorbitant in rural areas than urban centres, so Government should prioritise rural folks,” she said.

Meanwhile, the ZILIWACO provincial chairman Cde Stancillam Madembo reaffirmed the province’s faith in Cde Togarepi whom they want to retain his post as the national leader.

“As Mashonaland West province we are endorsing Cde Pupurai Togarepi as our national leader ahead of our general meeting,” he said.

ZILIWACO is an affiliate of the ruling Zanu-PF drawing members from war collaborators of the liberation struggle which culminated in Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980.