War veterans’ leader says Biti should join ZANU-PF

War veterans’ leader Jabulani Sibanda says Movement for Democratic Change secretary-general Tendai Biti should join the Zimbabwe African National Union –Patriotic Front instead of forming another party that has the same ideals as ZANU-PF.

He was commenting on remarks by Biti at a SAPES Trust policy dialogue on 6 March that a new party called the United Democratic Front which will recognises the liberation struggle be formed to challenge ZANU-PF.

“…This UDF, I am proposing must find accommodation within the liberation struggle. We can’t put a durawall with the liberation struggle. The liberation struggle is not our enemy. It liberated some of us. Some of us could be uneducated fools herding cattle in Murewa,” he was quoted by The Herald as saying.

Sibanda said Biti must join ZANU-PF and start campaigning for the lifting of sanctions because he cannot say he wants to form an opposition party that recognises the armed struggle and not recognise the party that organised that armed struggle.

“He can’t enjoy the taste of an orange and condemn the tree that produces it. He cannot try and amalgamate the minds of counter-revolutionaries, reactionaries and corrupt citizens to try and lead the country. Now we expect them to join the organisation that gave them roots. How can he say he will recognise the armed struggle without recognising Cde Mugabe and his colleagues who organised that struggle?” asked Cde Sibanda.

Biti is believed to be the mastermind behind the current turmoil in the MDC which has seen the party suspend its deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma but he has remained silent about the squabbles.

Emails published by The Herald yesterday, however, seem to indicate that he has the support of the party’s financial backers- white farmers and business.

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