HARARE – Zanu PF-aligned war veterans on Tuesday launched a campaign to get the Robert Mugabe International Airport renamed, accusing the former President of being a “sell-out” not worthy the owner.
Addressing a news conference in Harare, Victor Matemadanda, the secretary of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association said they would put forward former nationalist leader Herbert Chitepo instead.
“Robert Mugabe was over-honoured for what he did not do. He led the revolution for three years and became an icon,” Matemadanda said.
“On Wednesday we are going to our Harare International Airport to demand the removal of Mugabe’s dirty name and demand they put our heroes. We cannot have the face of Zimbabwe to the world given the name of a last-minute traitor, we can’t. It must be removed, we don’t want it.”
The group’s spokesman Douglas Mahiya read from a petition they have written, which says in part: “We no longer believe that Mr Robert Mugabe deserves such an honour.
“So as the war veterans are asking our authorities to remove the Mugabe name from the airport.”
The airport was renamed last November, before a military coup that ousted Mugabe after 37 years at the helm.
The veteran leader is out of favour with the new government, whose leader is Emmerson Mnangagwa, his former Vice President whom he sacked a few days before the coup.
Mugabe’s recent decision to publicly state that he would vote for Mnangagwa’s opposition challenger Nelson Chamisa in elections held on July 30 appears to have infuriated his successors further.
Mnangagwa has previously said the airport will keep Mugabe’s name.
