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THE war veterans leadership has called for the dismissal of Matabeleland South provincial administrator Mr Midard Khumalo, some district administrators and other senior Government officials whom they accuse of corruptly allocating land in Matabeleland South Province.
Addressing war veterans in Gwanda yesterday afternoon, war veterans secretary-general Cde Victor Matemadanda said the ruling Zanu-PF is aware of the shenanigans of top officials in the province and “will fire them for corrupt activities despite who they know”.
“Mat South has the worst case of land corruption in the country; there is a lot of corruption and indiscipline and this is disgusting as people fought for this land and some are now taking it illegally,” he said.
Cde Matemadanda said it was disheartening to note that top officials were involved in land scams and were undermining the gains of the revolution.
“Traditional leaders, lands officers, district administrators and the Provincial Administrator are involved in this land issue and it is not good for such people of high offices to be involved in illegal land allocations.
“However, we are going to deal with these corrupt elements who have been defying the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Cde Abednico Ncube, in this province. We will fire you no matter who are you are or who you know in the party,” he warned.
He said if Zanu-PF could fire the likes of former party spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo, nothing was going to stop them from firing “smaller” people in Matabaleland South.
Cde Matemadanda said no one is immune from prosecution if they were found on the wrong side of the law.
It is alleged that some highly placed officials in the province have been allocating land to their relatives and giving them fake documents at the expense of deserving war veterans.
Addressing the same gathering of over 2 000 war veterans, the chairman of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association, Cde Chris Mutsvangwa, also weighed in, saying officials should not put the law into their own hands.
“We have proper channels that should be followed when you have challenges. Do not put the law into your own hands like what former chairman Jabulani Sibanda did.
“How could he possibly want to march to State House to confront the President,” he said.
Cde Mutsvangwa said Matabaleland South must elect leaders that are upright if the province is to move forward. He also said traditional leaders should stay away from land issues as it is not within their mandate to distribute land.
He said war veterans must avoid people who never went to war who spread falsehoods about their experience like ousted former Vice-President Joice Mujuru who claims to have shot down a plane in the war.
Cde Mutsvangwa also warned the Matabaleland South leadership and war veterans who were still in alliance with Cde Sibanda to stop entertaining him as he is now “finished and irrelevant to the party”.
He further warned members of the party who were alleged aligned to Zapu leader Dr Dumiso Dabengwa, the Zipra Trust and Cde Mujuru.
“Siyanai nana Dabengwa, Mujuru ne Zipra Trust. I know some of you are with them behind our backs, you are selling out. You are going out there in the rural areas mobilising support for these people; if you are true to the party you will stop it. You cannot double dip,” he said.
Cde Mutsvangwa, who is also Minister of Welfare Services for War Veterans, War Collaborators, Former Political Detainees and Restrictees, reiterated that Dr Dabengwa should respect the recently appointed Vice Presidents of the country.
Other dignitaries that attended the war veterans meeting include Zanu-PF Politburo member Cde Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu, Senator Tambudzani Mohadi and legislator Cde William Dewa.
Online Reporter