Muza Mpofu, My Zimbabwe, October 30, 2017

The Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) leadership has appealed to Rhodesians scattered across the world to come back and rebuild the country because the current government has failed.

“We want them to be part of the next governance in Zimbabwe, because this country had been run on a scorched earth policy by the G40, we now want it to recover and for us to build a new country,” said ZNLWVA chairperson Chris Mutsvangwa.

Generation 40 is a faction within the ruling party Zanu PF and is said to be led by the First Lady Grace Mugabe. Among its members are President Mugabe’s nephew Partick Zhuwao (Social Welfare Minister), Saviour Kasukuwere (Local Government Minister) and Prof Jonathan Moyo (Higher Education Minister). Mugabe is thought to be the patron.

Addressing journalists Saturday in Harare, Mutsvangwa said let bygones be bygones as he is aware that former Rhodesians may not have forgiven the liberation fighters after they defeated former Prime Minister Ian Smith government in the war for emancipation.

“We did not fight a racial war, but a liberation war for black majority rule,” Mutsvangwa said.

“We are also reaching out to the white diaspora and the white business community, they used to run a economy and they are organised and they have the experience.”

He added, “If we can bring those and the new diaspora into play then the country will stabilise and will start recovering from the ravages of G40.”

“We will need all this talent back into the country, so that we can build a new Zimbabwe.”

The former War Veterans Minister Mutsvangwa also said that as former liberation fighters they are also reaching out to their erstwhile imperialists, the Western countries.

“They have never been happy with the War Veterans because they never forgave us since the defeat of Ian Smith but let’s learn to forgive.”

“And now that they have seen that the people that they think would run the country are so incompetent.”

Mutsvangwa added, “We are reaching out to the Western Embassies and through them to their governments to say that we can then make a new pact so that we can make this country recover.”

“We need capital to rebuild Zimbabwe.”

He went on to say the opposition MDC Alliance is very important for a new Zimbabwe.

“We are also aware of the MDC constant urban vote since 2000 and its appeal to the urban youths who are part of the future. We say we now need each other.”