War vets take rightful place

Sunday Mail Reporter

FOR almost four decades, war veterans have only been an affiliate of the revolutionary party, ZANU PF, but the assumption of power by President Mnangagwa in 2017 saw them being elevated to a wing of the party.

That status, which was solemnised this weekend through an elective conference, demonstrated how the President, himself an illustrious war veteran, is true to his word, chairperson of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) Cde Chris Mutsvangwa said.

“On assuming power in 2017 as Head of State of the Second Republic, he made a solemn pledge to form and concretise the involvement of survivors of Chimurenga/Umvukela into a Fourth League of ZANU PF. Today we are jubilantly living the realisation of that pledge,” said Cde Mutsvangwa in a statement.

Such a recognition, he added, is an honour to the country’s liberators who sacrificed life and limb during a protracted armed struggle to free Zimbabwe from the shackles of colonial bondage.

“National hero Hitler Hunzvi, the first chairperson of ZNLWVA, must be happily smiling in his grave today. We render to you our heartfelt gratitude.”

Cde Mutsvangwa said war veterans will remain unstintingly loyal to President Mnangagwa, ZANU PF and the country.

“Come 2023, you are our sole and only candidate for the 2023 National Harmonised Elections.”

He also condoled the British royal family that is mourning Queen Elizabeth, who, for 70 years, represented British imperialism, including all its ills, which included subjugating African countries, looting their resources and mercilessly killing innocent civilians.

“Comrades and friends, the British have just lost their long-reigning Queen Elizabeth II. Sincere condolences to the British people. May her soul rest in peace.

“Comrades and friends, there was a time when the British Queen exercised her writ over our expansive lands in then colonial Southern Rhodesia. All the Zimbabwe national schoolchildren, including the black majority ones, used to sing ‘God Save the Queen’. That epoch of national humiliation, of worshipping a foreign monarch is long gone. In 1980, the British ‘Union Jack’ flag was lowered by Prince Charles in Rufaro Stadium.

“The Rufaro Stadium ceremony crowned 16 years of a protracted, arduous and painful armed struggle,” he said.

War veterans drawn from ZANLA and ZIPRA were the backbone of that struggle.

“The ZANLA-ZIPRA guerrilla armies were the nemesis to the Rhodesian Army, itself a cat’s paw of the British Imperial Army. We salute ZANU PF in its original political formations of ZANU and ZAPU for the vision and foresight to create a new army. Its purpose is to defend the people,” added Cde Mutsvangwa.

“To accomplish the task it had to reverse the battlefield defeats of the 1890s by arch-imperialist Cecil John Rhodes and his marauding Pioneer Column.

“Starting with you, Cde President, we salute the pioneer recruits who were the cradle of both armies of our National Liberation Movement. We pay homage to National Chairman Herbert Chitepo and Cde John Ziyapapa Moyo, and other comrades who founded ZANLA and ZIPRA while based in exile in Tanzania, Zambia.”

He saluted countries that offered launchpads for ZANLA and ZIPRA armies, some of which were represented during the conference that ended yesterday.

“We are thankful to the many supportive and hospitable foreign lands who answered the clarion call of the Africa Union Liberation Committee. By the same token, we also salute Presidents: President Mwalimu Julius Nyerere of Chama Cha Mapinduzi of Tanzania; President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia; President Sir Seretse Khama of Botswana, President Samora Machel of FRELIMO of Mozambique, Augustino Neto of MPLA of Angola.”

He also paid homage to General Magama Tongogara and Cde Nikita Mangena, who he described as military luminaries “who worked with many other comrades to implant the permanent presence of ZANLA and ZIPRA in our sacred land of Zimbabwe”.

“These are the practitioners of the People’s War, a modern prosecution of the armed combat that would bring to heel the Rhodesian offshoot of the foremost and most formidable Empire of all times. The survivors of that epic struggle are gathered here.”

The ZNLWVA leader said survivors of the liberation struggle would always remember the thousands who fell in battle or perished in the protracted fight for independence, sovereignty and democracy, including masses who were victims of genocidal massacres and other heinous crimes of reprisal by the beleaguered army of the racist settler minority regime.

Because of Zimbabwe’s acumen and organisational capacity as embodied by President Mnangagwa, he added, the country won the war against Covid-19, even though it had to do it alone without financial aid.

“The world was awed and marvelled by our successful fight against Covid-19 when detractors had consigned us to laggards. The aspect also played a key in the UNESCO-rated highest literacy educational achievement of Zimbabwe. We spearheaded the land reform and its restitution of land to the rightful majority black population.”

He said in 2017, war veterans leveraged on their revolutionary republican pedigree through Operation Restore Legacy and checkmated the dynastic tendencies of the G40 cabal.

“That way, the integrity, well-being and continuity of the Zimbabwe Revolution was assured. This should not be at all surprising! Our nation could just not win a modern war against a well-entrenched foe. Rebel Rhodesia was supported by the foremost powers of the NATO imperial hegemony,” he noted.

“The quest for national regeneration and the revival of hope and prosperity is the only reason why so many tens of thousands opted for the life-sacrifice that is war. Cde President, we are relieved and delighted that this age-old desire for a better life for our people has taken centre stage in your Second Republic.”

While acknowledging the significance of the President’s slogan of ‘Nyika Inovakwa neVene Vayo’, the war veterans’ leader applauded the thrust to leave “no one and no place behind”.

Conservation farming methods such as Pfumvudza will ensure food security and boost incomes, which are achievements considered the greatest homage to departed heroes and heroines, he said.

ZNLWVA, he added, welcomes the birth and entry of the War Veterans League as an organ of the ZANU PF, and would work tirelessly to decisively defeat “post-colonialists and their local proxies in the national body politic”.

“Comrade President, we are the first modern national liberation movement to assume power through the ‘ballot to office’ as opposed to ‘bullet to office’. This template of conflict resolution has since been appropriated by the United Nations Organisation’s international diplomacy,” he said.

“Certainly and clearly, our democratic credentials are impeccable. The DNA of home-grown democracy is within the revolutionary blood system. Comrade President, in this vein, we will emulate your ethic of a punishing and grinding work schedule. We also undertake to deliver a landslide electoral victory come 2023 Harmonised National Elections.”