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Violent fighting erupts in Bulawayo - ZAPU and ZANU war vets clash in open view
By Vusi Moyo 09-10-08
Bulawayo(ZimEye)- Rival war veteran movements clashed in full view of the police in Makokoba as the formation of the new PF ZAPU continues to tear Matabeleland apart.
The two war veteran movements, one aligned to Dumiso Dabengwa's PF ZAPU and the one led by Jabulani Sibanda were ‘accidentally’ booked at the same venue, at the historic Stanley Square where black nationalism started in Bulawayo in the ‘50s.
The PF ZAPU aligned war veterans arrived at the venue Sunday morning on the 7th of October only to find Jabulani Sibanda addressing about 2000 of his supporters.
Inside the arena of this famed Bulawayo city council facility, Andrew Ndlovu's PF ZAPU followers numbering about 30 ex-ZIPRA guerrilla fighters then forced their way into Stanley Square beating up youths that stood guard at the gates.
Jabulani Sibanda the leader of the ZANU PF aligned war veterans movement was then suddenly heard calling out through the loud public address system, shouting,
"…the dissidents have arrived. Let’s work comrades, for the defence of our unity; let’s work comrades! Capture Andrew Ndlovu'
The running battles that followed spilled into Makokoba township with over a hundred ex-combatants getting injured in full view of the police. ZRP Public relations manager for Bulawayo Mandlenkosi Moyo who was also present refused to comment when questioned by journalists that were there. After the skirmishes had died down, ZimEye managed to speak to ZIPRA war vets leader Andrew Ndlovu who blamed the violence on Sibanda's movement and what he described as some ‘mischievous’ people in the Bulawayo city council who accepted Jabulani's booking, even after ZIPRA had secured the place. Bulawayo has been the scene of violent clashes between ZANU PF supporters and those of a proposed movement for the formation of PF ZAPU, a party that was ‘swallowed’ by ZANU PF in 1987. This party has the rumoured backing of Vice President Joseph Msika, Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, playwright Cont Mhlanga and a majority of Ndebele speaking leaders in ZANU PF
