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A group of war veterans clashed on Monday with members of the Women’s League in the Midlands over the control of Carslon Mine in Somabula, formerly owned by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

It has since emerged that the Zanu-PF Women’s League are engaged in a fight with a new company, Zialanda Mining Corporation, that is now making preparations to take over the mine.

Cde Shumba, among other war veterans, is part of Zialanda Mining Corporation.

The Zanu-PF provincial Women’s League, which claimed to have successfully applied for the takeover of the mine under the indigenisation and empowerment drive in 2007, is contesting the move by Cde Shumba and his team to elbow them out of the mine.

They accused the group of war veterans of trying to hijack a women’s project.

The Women’s League, led by Politburo member, Cde Tsitsi Muzenda, on Monday went to the mine and staged a demonstration over the proposed takeover of the mine by Zialanda Mining Corporation.

In an interview yesterday, war veterans secretary-general for the Midlands Province, Cde Reuben Vurayai Mafika, said Cde Shumba was involved in the fight for the control of the mine in his individual capacity.

“Reports that war vets in the Midlands province are clashing with the Women’s League over the control of a mine are not correct. Cde Shumba might be the war veterans’ chairman for Midlands, but he is engaged in the mine dispute in his own personal capacity. He is not representing war veterans. War veterans in the province have nothing to do with the project,” said Cde Mafika.

He said war veterans would not fight against a project that sought to empower women.

“As war veterans we are there to defend the interests of Zanu-PF and its noble policies like the indigenisation and empowerment programme. We will therefore, not fight any structure within the party,” said Cde Mafika.

Contacted for comment, Cde Shumba confirmed that he was one of the directors of Zialanda Mining Corporation.

He said there was no dispute between Zialanda and Zanu-PF Women’s League.

“The fighting you are referring to is only being created in the media. We have papers that allow us to work on the mine project and there are a few people who want to portray things as if the Zanu-PF Women’s League wants to work on the project when there are only a few individuals who want to push their selfish interests,” said Cde Shumba.