The Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) has come out guns blazing against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s security for failing to detect the Bulawayo bomb blast saying it is time a war veteran is appointed to lead the team.
Speaking to 263Chat yesterday, ZNLWVA Chairperson for Mashonaland Central Province, Samuel Parirenyatwa accused Mnangagwa’s security team of being incompetent and having other motives rather than protecting the President.
“We are very concerned as war veterans and as stockholders, to what happened to our President. Its not the first time that an attempt has been made on the life of the President and we are deeply concerned hence we need to make sure that this comes to an end.
“Our major concern is with our security sector. It would appear (that) the people around the President are not competent enough or they seem to be serving other motives rather than protecting the President. We are demanding as stockholders, that we need men and women of clear credentials, who have been tried and tested in as far as the security of the president is concerned.
“We would rather prefer, ourselves as war veterans, to be around the president rather than having the youngsters who have proved to be incompetent,” said Parirenyatwa.
His sentiments were echoed by Cephas Ncube, Provincial Chairperson for Bulawayo who demanded that a war veteran be appointed to head Mnangagwa’s security team.
“Our position is very clear, we want the position for secretary for security in the party (Zanu PF) should be held by a war veteran with good credentials so that tight security starts from the party going up,” said Ncube.
He said the Bulawayo attacks will not deter preparations for the upcoming elections and vowed that the war vets will continue to support Mnangagwa.
Meanwhile, ZNLWVA Spokesperson, Douglas Mahiya told 263Chat that the war veterans executive and the entire membership is disappointed by the security team which failed to provide counter-terrorism services when required.
“We are disappointed with the organ which has constitutional mandate to provide fore-warnings on these events before they happen. In this era of terrorism, it is disgraceful and embarrassing those whose duty is to provide a warning.
“The attack was not only against the person of President Mnangagwa, it was an attack against the state of Zimbabwe and all Zimbabweans regardless of party affiliation,” said Mahiya.
He noted that the attack was a cowardly attempt to subvert the will of the people by robbing them of their candidate in the forthcoming elections.
Mahiya added that the White City attack cannot be taken as an isolated act of madness given the numerous attempts on Mnangagwa’s life, including break-ins at his office when he was State Vice President and the 2017 hard metal poisoning.
