(Last Updated on October 27, 2014 by Editor)
HARARE – Zanu-PF secretary for Administration Didymus Mutasa and under fire war veterans leader Jabulani Sibanda yesterday threatened the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services and The Herald with unspecified action.
Speaking at a site for the reburial of the remains of 82 fallen heroes discovered in a mine shaft at Matumba Six or Herbert Mine near Old Mutare Mission, the two said they were riled by the space given to First Lady Grace Mugabe on ZTV news and the coverage she received in The Herald.
Sibanda said the media was now a national security concern. “Kaministry kenyu aka (Ministry of Information) kakutanga kuita zvekuti its a national security concern,” he said. “Mukaona ministry yehurumende, yebato riri kutonga ichipa after news an extra eight hours dzekutuka Vice President wenyika something is just wrong.
“Let me tell you, kaministry kenyu aka isu tichaita zvimwe pano. Isu we are guerrillas hatina base. Even izvozvi hatina base semaguerrillas. Isu tinogara mumoyo yevanhu veZimbabwe and the nation is about to stand up and defend itself.
“Macomrades ayo takaviga apo they fought for a Republic of Zimbabwe. We are not a cult, we are not a sect. Vanhu varikutivhara, havasi kuda kuti tione mudhara. Prepare that one day war veterans will march to see their patron. War veterans with mujibha, madzimambo edu, machechi edu, mayouths edu, vanhu vese, tiri varwiri werusununguko. We are going to walk and hakuna mazuva akawanda tisati tadaro.”
Sibanda said those calling for his ouster were day-dreaming. “Don’t scold us and think we are stupid, no,” he said. “We know the conditions in our country. We know the direction of our revolution and we know the strength of our people. “Vanhu vanomhanya kumaTV kuti tabvisa Jabu, kubvisa Jabu kupi? Vabvisa Jabu kuti ihembe here? Jabu haisi hembe. Handipfekwe nemunhu, ndiri hembe yako? I don’t want to waste time ndichitaura zvinhu zvisina basa. Problem iri kuPolitburo. Tava nevanhu vari kubvongodza muto nekuti kuregererwa havana kuguta. Vatanga zvimwe futi.”
Speaking at the same occasion Mutasa said The Herald should continue writing whatever it wanted, but will not be bought.
“Handisi kuda kutaurisa nekuti ava varipo ava (referring to the media). Ndakagara kare ndichiramba kutaura navo, ivo vanozviziva. Ndikataurisa maningi vavakutoita kuti mapepa avo atengwe. Regai akadaro, Herald ichingoita murwi risina anotenga, asi mapepa ayo taiti isu mapepa ekunze ndoava kutengwa pamusana pezviri kutaurika mazuva ano,” said Mutasa.
Addressing the same gathering, Zanu-PF Manicaland provincial chairman Ambassador John Mvundura said people with sinister agendas were causing chaos in the party. “As Manicaland, we are rallying behind President Mugabe, but some rumour mongers are saying to the contrary,” he said.
“As leaders, we were taken aback by the cancellation of the reburial (of the remains of the liberation fighters). We should not politicise this reburial process. Please do not rope us into your personal politics. We should not fight at the expense of fallen heroes.”
Cde Sibanda said the reburial of the remains of the fallen heroes would continue without the blessings of the Government.
“It is our initiative, haibve kuhurumunde, Minister of Home Affairs,” he said. “It is our initiative, but today we are not stopping. We are not going back, but we are striking going forward.
“Tine macoffins apo, not even coffin inobva kuhurumende apo, but macoffins anobva kuvanhu nemadonations.” Sibanda’s utterances flew in the face of Minister of Home Affairs Cde Kembo Mohadi’s statement that the reburials were postponed to a date to be advised. Mohadi was quoted in the media saying the reburials were postponed to a date to be advised due to logistical challenges.