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Pamela Shumba Senior Reporter
WAR veterans Council of Elders member Cde George Mlala yesterday refuted reports that he was part of a group attempting a hostile takeover of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association. Over the weekend, Welfare Services for War Veterans, Collaborators and Ex-Detainees Minister Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube accused Cde Mlala and the Minister of State for Manicaland Province Cde Mandi Chimene of leading a faction within the ZNLWVA in a bid to destabilise and take over the association.

Yesterday, Cde Mlala accused Rtd Col Dube of failing to understand his duties. He claimed that the Minister wanted war veterans to be part of the Christopher Mutsvangwa-led group that was expelled from Zanu PF.

“The Minister is saying we want to hijack the power of the war veterans. My question is how? Initially we didn’t want to respond, we wanted to talk to him first but we felt that we have spoken to him several times trying to make him understand that he’s minister of the war veterans not associations.

“It appears he doesn’t understand. War veterans and associations’ affairs are two different things. His job is to administer the government policy not the war veterans association. He has no business in the association and he’s misdirecting himself,” said Cde Mlala.

“He was there at the solidarity march day on July 27 in Harare where we presented our case before the President in public. The President, in his response, said those that are acting now will remain acting and mobilise for the elections to put a new leadership. He did not say the Minister will do that.

“That’s where Rtd Col Dube does not understand. He said Cde Chimene and I want to take over the war veterans association unprocedurally. I wonder what procedures he is referring to”.

Cde Mlala said Rtd Col Dube should not accuse him of things that he had not done.

“There was no need to speak on behalf of the war veterans. He can talk as a minister with war veterans outside these associations not on behalf of the association. We want to talk to war veterans that are in Zanu-PF,” he said.

Cde Mlala said he was not aware of the High Court order which reportedly barred him as well as Cdes Chimene, Joseph Chinotimba, Charles Mpofu, Ester Munyaradzi, Stephen Moyo and Robert Mukwena from masquerading as ZNLWVA leaders, saying he had not been served with any court papers.

“I don’t know about the court order. I’ve only read about it in the papers. I was not served with any papers. Until I get the papers from the court, I’m not in a position to talk about it,” he said.

Rtd Col Dube could not be reached for comment yesterday as his mobile phone continuously rang without being answered — @pamelashumba1