WAR veterans yesterday demanded an overhaul of the civil service, claiming there was adequate proof that some government workers were aiding the opposition by supporting protests.
Addressing journalists in the capital, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA) spokesperson Douglas Mahiya, reacting to a successful but often violent three-day stayaway called by labour bodies, said the overhauling of the civil servants should include removal of those that seem to behave in a manner that leaves government vulnerable to embarrassment by its enemies.
“The opposition political actions have been reflected in some of our civil service,” Mahiya said.
“As war veterans, we recommend complete overhaul of our civil service, especially removing those that seem to act in a manner that leaves government vulnerable to unnecessary embarrassment by enemies of the State.”
Zimbabwe woke up on Monday to violent protests over President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s decision to hike fuel prices by 150% on Saturday night.
At least nine people reportedly died and hundreds injured as security forces brutally tried to suppress the protests.
Hundreds have been arrested, including soldiers, police officers and Zanu PF supporters among the hundreds of opposition members.
Mahiya insisted on apportioning the blame to the MDC, and warned that war veterans would take the law into their hands if police “fail to do justice” to the MDC supporters some of whom have been arrested over the violence.
“The opposition has committed an unforgivable sin of disregarding our national Constitution by deliberately advocating for unconstitutionalism and society disobedience,” Mahiya said.
“The intended demonstrations were misused as an attempt by the opposition to seize political power during the absence of the Head of State and Government Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The level of cohesion and forcing of the generality of our citizenry to participate in the demonstration and the ultimate shutting down of all businesses by the marauding hooligans calls for security measures on the ground.”
