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Cde Cain Mathema

Nqobile Tshili, Showbiz Correspondent
THE recent political developments in Zimbabwe could not be predicted even by the shrewdest political analyst yet former Cabinet Minister Cain Mathema had already penned a seemingly prophetic book in defence of the military’s operations.

Entitled, ‘I Defend the Zimbabwe Defence and Security Force’, the book has shocked the author and those who have had an opportunity to grab it due to its prophetic message as far as recent political developments are concerned.

Any reader can be forgiven for assuming that the book was written within the last two weeks. But the book had already been on book shelves two weeks before the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) embarked on its Operation Restore Legacy to arrest criminal elements surrounding ex-President Robert Mugabe. The commander of the ZDF General Constantino Guvheya Chiwenga had warned the ruling Zanu-PF party against purging members with liberation struggle credentials saying it was destabilising the party.

The book is set to be officially launched at the Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel on Saturday before being re-launched at Rainbow Towers in Harare a week later, on December 8.

In an interview yesterday, Mathema said although his book is in line with recent political developments, he penned it targeting the neo-colonialist agenda fronted by the opposition parties and their Western sponsors.

He said the contents of the book have shockingly become relevant  and in sync with developments where those who were close to the former First Family were bullying others stifling democratic processes in Zanu-PF resulting in senseless purging of members with dissenting views.

Mathema said his book was justifying ZDF’s stance to preserve the country’s internal and external peace and stability.

“No one could put together what I wrote in this book as they compared it to what the defence forces had done in defence of Zimbabwe. When I read the title and the recent events I became surprised at how I put this together. It’s actually shocking because I’m very clear that when the State is threatened by both internal and external forces, the Constitution allows our defence forces to intervene,” he said.

Zanu-PF had become home to praise singing where those who differed with the G40 cabal had no room in the party and were expelled without reason.

Mathema said his 455 page book has become sort of prophetic noting that those who were close to the Mugabes were furthering their interests at the expense of development.

He said even people who occupied Government positions started quizzing him on how he managed to put to paper a book within a week’s time yet it already existed.

“Some people say that the book has been prophetic, last week people were surprised. I remember one Minister asking, did you write this book kuthange (day before yesterday)” said Mathema.

@nqotshili