adminMbongeni Msimanga
CONFUSION continues to haunt the Bulawayo provincial war veterans’ association with the group led by Cde Roy Sibanda holding a meeting yesterday where they resolved that they will not recognise the provincial executive ‘‘imposed’’ by the national leadership.
War Veterans and War Collaborators Minister Cde Chris Mutsvangwa endorsed Cde Cephas Ncube’s provincial executive while Cde Roy Sibanda and his team are being backed by war veterans elder Cde George Mlala.
In yesterday’s meeting at Stanley Hall in Makokoba, Cde Mlala alleged that the Cde Ncube group was linked to former Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans chairman Mr Jabulani Sibanda and former Vice-President Joice Mujuru.
“We will not accept the decision that was made to elect Cephas Ncube as the provincial chairperson.
“We are sticking to the resolutions that were made last year at the war veterans meeting in Masvingo and Roy Maphosa remains the legitimate chairperson of the province,” he said.
The war veterans led by Cde Mlala have since launched a campaign against the new executive, aimed at “bringing sanity within the province” as confusion continues to reign supreme. He said the province was failing to move forward as they were going back to the Jabulani Sibanda era.
“The reason why we are failing is because we are going back to the Jabulani era. He failed in leadership. The current executive that is led by Cephas Ncube is full of people who are linked to Joice Mujuru,” he said.
Cde Mlala further claimed that the executive was full of people who agreed with Mr Jabulani Sibanda when he insulted the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe when he accused her of organising a “bedroom coup” against Dr Mujuru.
He said efforts had to be made to resolve the issues affecting the province.
“People are infiltrating the war vets from within and we all know that they have previously insulted the First Lady.
“Mutsvangwa should be respected as national chairperson and should be approached so that we correct this issue and the welfare of the war veterans,” he said.
Cde Mutsvangwa has previously said the behaviour of the war veterans is a form of indiscipline and if they are genuine freedom fighters they should accept that Cde Ncube is the legitimate chairperson of the province.
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu