Zimbabwe veterans group wants ‘Mugabe to rule from wheelchair’, says one doesn’t need to be fit athlete to lead

Zimbabwe’s liberation war veterans have declared that they want President Robert Mugabe to continue ruling the country even if he were to be confined to a wheelchair, proposing he does not “need to be an athlete to govern”, as the race to nominate the veteran leader for the 2018 polls begins.

The influential group of former fighters at the weekend said they were preparing to nominate the 91-year-old leader, who has been in power for 35 years now, as the ruling party’s candidate for the 2018 presidential elections.

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA) secretary-general, Victor Matemadanda told NewsDay in an interview that Mugabe was “as fit as a fiddle” and ready to contest.

 “As war veterans, this is what we want and we are not going to ask anyone. We are going to nominate him,” he declared.

Asked if at the age of 94 in 2018, Mugabe would still have the energy to run a gruelling election campaign, Matemadanda said they were not interested in a “roadrunner”, but someone who could lead.

“We are not looking for a roadrunner. We are not looking for the best athletes, but for a leader who has the best interests of his people at heart,” he said.

“We are looking for a leader who is level-headed and will support and protect his people. That is what we see in President Mugabe."

“He can rule from a (wheel) chair.”

Resolute Matemadanda said, "Mugabe still had the energy to take him through to 2018 without any problems."

“He is a strong man and if we are lucky to be alive, you and I can bear witness to him being the ZANU-PF candidate in that election,” the ZNLWVA leader said.