Zimbabwe’s former vice president Joice Mujuru has questioned President Robert Mugabe’s war credentials after the recent arrest and suspension of war veteran leaders, a report said on Monday.
According to NewsDay, speaking at a rally of her newly formed opposition party, Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF), in Chinhoyi at the weekend, Mujuru said that Mugabe had often exaggerated his involvement in the fight against colonial rule.
The former deputy president reportedly called on Mugabe to produce his war credentials by stating his alias, if he had any, to prove his liberation credentials.
“War vets are not stupid; don’t mistake their silence for foolishness. Mugabe is deliberately turning holding cells and prisons into war vets’ houses, while their places of leisure are now the courts,” Mujuru was quoted as saying.
This comes just a week after leaders of the ex-freedom fighters were expelled from the ruling Zanu-PF party.
Zanu-PF reportedly axed at least eight “unruly” war veteran leaders who are allegedly againstMugabe’s rule.
Among the axed war veterans are ZNLWVA secretary-general Victor Matemadanda, spokesperson Douglas Mahiya, national commissar Francis Nhando, and deputy chairperson Headman Moyo.
Zanu-PF secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo claimed that the four leaders of the former freedom fighters would be joined by four other unnamed war veterans.
Chombo stated that the eight war veteran leaders were expelled from the ruling party due to their ill-discipline.
