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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
WAR veterans have been urged to desist from jostling for positions during the upcoming Zanu-PF restructuring exercise but should focus on strengthening the party.

Speaking yesterday during a meeting with war veterans, war collaborators and ex detainees from Matabeleland South Province in Gwanda, Zanu-PF secretary for war veterans Cde Victor Matemadanda said this time around, the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA) would be actively involved in the restructuring exercise.

He urged members of the association that had deserted Zanu-PF to return as they were in the wrong place.

“Comrades it’s not the war vets association that restructures the party but this time around we will be involved. When the restructuring process arrives, I urge you to support one another and don’t fight for positions. If one of you is appointed support them so that we can develop the party. This party depends on you as war veterans but you are stronger when united.

“You should also appreciate that there are some members of the party who are not war veterans but are more than capable of holding leadership positions. You should also support them as well,” Cde Matemadanda said.

He applauded war veterans from Matabeleland South Province for working tirelessly during the elections to deliver victory to Zanu-PF.

He, however, raised concern over the way some candidates had campaigned, focusing on selling themselves more.

Cde Matemadanda said there was a need for candidates that will represent the party in the future to be oriented on how to properly campaign.

“I would like to applaud you as Matabeleland South Province as we asked you to go out and campaign and you went ahead and did that and as a result the party obtained 12 out of 13 seats in the province. There wasn’t a huge margin between the votes which were garnered by the MP’s and the President,” he said.

“However, in some areas some candidates were campaigning for themselves and not the party, that is why in some areas MPs were getting 10 000 votes and the President was only getting half of that. This shows that discipline is lacking within the party and we can’t let such a thing pass unattended. There is need in the future for candidates that will represent the party to undergo orientation in order to realise that the party is more important than a position”.

Cde Matemadanda said he was aware that war veterans had a number grievances but urged them to allow the President time to address them after appointing his Cabinet as things were set to improve during the new dispensation.

He urged war veterans to rally behind President Mnangagwa and respect the party.

Cde Matemadanda also appealed to various Government departments in all provinces to ensure that war veterans benefited from programmes that were being initiated.

He said several projects were underway such as housing and mining projects, allocation of farms, Command Livestock among others but war veterans were being excluded.
Cde Matemadanda said liberation fighters sacrificed a lot to secure resources that the country was now enjoying but many of them were still disempowered.

“Let’s support the President in his initiatives because things are set to improve. Those comrades that had gone astray should come back. Your role is to go out there and bring them back because we should all benefit as an association,” he said. — @DubeMatutu.