‘Mugabe’s message to Mnangagwa not enough




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HARARE – War veterans said former president Robert Mugabe’s congratulatory message to President Emmerson Mnangagwa is not enough for them to forgive him.

This comes after Mugabe on Sunday moved to end months of his acrimonious relationship with Mnangagwa by sending his daughter Bona and her husband Simba Chikore to deliver a special congratulatory message from him and Grace as Mnangagwa was being inaugurated in Harare.

Speaking to the Daily News yesterday Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA), spokesperson Douglas Mahiya said it’s now irrelevant for them to engage Mugabe.

“Congratulating … Mnangagwa was a good move but not enough. For us war veterans we think it’s irrelevant to engage him (Mugabe).

“He must just retire and keep quiet. From what he did in the past we saw that he has never been Zanu PF. He said he is supporting the MDC Alliance and by so going he is also calling for sanctions. Mugabe caused the suffering of many Zimbabweans and he has demonstrated that he is a failure,” Mahiya said.

The sickly 94-year-old and Grace were unable to attend the big occasion due to their poor health, which has seen the latter flying to Singapore for medical attention.

“Your Excellency, thank you for your invitation, my wife is not well in Singapore, I am also not well, so I am sending my daughter and son-in-law to represent us.

Congratulations,” Mugabe said in his surprise message that was read by Mnangagwa.

This was despite the fact that on the eve of the historic July 30 polls, Mugabe had done all in his power to derail Mnangagwa and the ruling Zanu PF’s electoral bids, saying the “new” dispensation was illegitimate.

“Today (July 29) is a better day; I hope it will still be a better day tomorrow. I’m sure the good Lord will help us to bring a better day tomorrow.

“Let tomorrow decide … there should be a big no to guns directing politics. We shall never again experience a time when an army is used in politics.

“I have never met (Nelson) Chamisa. I wish to meet him if he wins. I can’t vote for those who’ve caused me to be in this situation.

“I hope the voting which will be done tomorrow will thrash away the military form of government and bring us back to constitutionality,” Mugabe told journalists.