War Veterans have taken exception to controversial First Lady Grace Mugabe’s recent pronouncements on the liberation struggle, saying she is oblivious to the fact that she is enjoying the benefits of being President Robert Mugabe’s wife because of brave heroes who fought for the country’s freedom.

Responding to Grace’s statement during her rally in Mashonaland Central last week where she ill-advisedly told her audience that no one had been forced to participate in the war of liberation, Retired Major General Kudzai Mbudzi said bluntly that the first lady was “losing it”.

“For her to be in that position ihondo (It is because of the war of liberation that she is first lady). Murume wake kuti ave zvaari ihondo (For her husband to be president it is because of the liberation struggle),” Mbudzi said.

He added that just because Grace was a faction leader within the warring post-congress Zanu-PF party, did not mean that she had to belittle the contribution of war veterans to the liberation of the country.

“We fought for this country. We have ideological protests to maintain and that stems from the armed struggle. And whatever we do, stems from the successes of the armed struggle,” the fearless Mbudzi said.

He said it was clear that Grace lacked “social and academic intelligence” and was, therefore, not supposed to be taken seriously.

“She does not understand the ideological protests of the party that she purports to represent and would want to lead,” Mbudzi said.
Grace found herself in the eye of a storm after making the controversial statement, which was seen as an attack on Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his supporters.

“There are some who think that because they fought in the war to liberate the country, their war credentials give them the right to do what they want. Are you the only one who fought in that war?

“We will end up asking you if anybody forced you to join the war because there are many others who also went there.

“We all did, as our parents, brothers and sisters played their part as well,” Grace also said during the rally.

This came after War Veterans minister Chris Mutsvangwa — seen as a close Mnangagwa ally — appeared to take a dig at party rivals who did not participate in the liberation war, saying that they could never rule this country.

Mnangagwa is said to be engaged in a bitter succession war with Grace and Zanu-PF’s ambitious Young Turks, the Generation 40 (G40) faction that allegedly includes combative Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere.

Another distinguished war veteran, Rugare Gumbo, said Grace’s statements showed that she did not understand what the liberation war and Zimbabwe were all about.

“It’s not worth commenting on because we know people who were part of the struggle (war of liberation) and those who were not,” Gumbo said, speaking in his personal capacity.
Source: dailynews