War veterans clashed with the police in the capital city on Thursday morning in what has now been termed “Blood and Fire” between the First Lady Grace Mugabe and the liberation war heroes. ‘Comrades‘ loyal to ousted leader Christopher Mutsvangwa and Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa have declared their readiness to “go back to the bush” to defend the country against First Lady Grace Mugabe and her G40 ZANU PF faction.
PICTURES:

The crowds managed to make their way to the capital city overnight to stage a demonstration against the First Lady and declare their intention to “go back to the bush” if she is not brought to order. Another faction loyal to the First Lady also mobilised its own forces which include some members of the youth league from the ruling party’s notorious national youth training centres known as green bombers.
There were reports that Chris Mutsvangwa himself was arrested early Thursday. But at the time of writing ZimEye.com could not obtain any evidence to that effect and the man’s cellphone line was continuously engaged. He later replied ZimEye in a short message simply saying: “all fine,” and would go not into any further detail.
Hundreds stranded in Matebeleland.
Meanwhile scores of hundreds other penny less war vets were stranded in Matabeleland last night.
Impeccable sources within the party claim that police and the army have been ordered to refuse to intervene in the expected clashes, certain to turn bloody if not contained.
In her recent rallies throughout the country the presidential hopeful First Lady has taken swipe at the once feared war veterans describing them as a group of old people holding the country at ransom. In her latest jibe at the veterans at her rally in Mazowe last week, Grace Mugabe said the fighters should begin considering themselves as ordinary citizens as their liberation war tag has gone past it’s sale by date a statement which has infuriated the aged liberation fighters.
Across the country, in the country’s second capital scores of other war veterans spent the night stranded at the city centre waiting for transport to ferry them to Harare to join in the demonstration.
Sources within the veterans claim that members of the Central Intelligence Organisation disturbed their transport arrangements to block them from traveling to Harare.
According to the sources an unnamed someone was meant to have met with the veterans in the City Centre and provided them with cash for overnight transport to Harare but that somebody was blocked by intelligence officers before getting to them.
The liberation fighters tried to force themselves into buses traveling to Harare without money claiming that the drivers were going to get their money when they got to Harare but the transport operators would not have any of that.
Early this morning, the “soldiers” most of them having been ferried all the way from Beitbridge, Tsholotsho and Victoria Falls were stranded in Bulawayo with no money to travel back to their homes.
None of their “leaders” were on site to assist them get transport back home nor to Harare.
“They picked us up from our homes as early as 6am yesterday and dumped us here in Bulawayo in hired kombis and now they are nowhere to be seen and we haven’t had a meal since we left home. Most of us are on different medication and can not stay this long without eating,” complained one veteran who earlier in the day was amongst those declaring their preparedness to go back to war.
Reports from the capital say that the situation remains calm as the sun rises though the veterans have already started gathering at the ZANU PF head quarter with a few police officers milling around the area.
ZimEye.com correspondents in the capital are keeping a close eye on the developments at Jongwe Jongwe House and will provide details as they unroll.