Roy Bennett has no place in the inclusive Government because he is not just a former member of the notorious Selous Scouts but is an “unrepentant Rhodie” who even tried to undermine the country’s independence in 1980, war veterans and political analysts have said.

It is understood that Bennett was behind the formation of the Republican Front (RF) and later the Conservative Alliance of Zimbabwe (CAZ) – parties that were formed by racist white Rhodies during the early days of the country’s independence.

Reports indicate that Bennett was part of a group of Rhodies that confronted other whites who had defected to join ZANU PF in the early 1980s.

MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai nominated Bennett to the position of Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development.

However, he has not been appointed to the post and following his acquittal by the High Court last week on terrorism, banditry, insurgency and trying to overthrow President Mugabe from power in 2006, some quarters said the way was clear for his appointment.

However, the leader of the war veterans in the country, Cde Jabulani Sibanda, said Bennett was the connecting factor to the tenets of Rhodesia.

“During the struggle, a lot of people were butchered, maimed and tortured by the Selous Scouts,” he said.

“There is a lot that the group perpetrated. We even had people burnt by some acid.

“There is no way we can tolerate Bennett.

“For us to accommodate people like Bennett is an insult to those who liberated the country.”

The Selous Scouts was a special unit of the Rhodesian army which operated between 1973 and the attainment of independence in 1980.

The brutal regiment helped to perpetuate Ian Smith’s apartheid system whose policy was segregationist.

The regiment earned the name “psychopathic killers” for its brutality and it is believed that it was behind the deaths of about 68 percent of the liberation fighters.

Notable were the gruesome deaths at Nyadzonia Camp in Mozambique, where more than 1200 black Zimbabweans died after an attack.

The Selous Scouts were also responsible for the killing of refugees at Chimoio, Tembwe, Mkushi, Luangwa and Solwezi, where men, women and children lie today buried in mass graves.

Cde Sibanda said the “monster” that Bennett represents should not be tolerated.

“It was the most feared apartheid regime in Africa. It is shocking that the whole MDC is appearing like the transformation of Rhodesians,” he said.

Political analyst Professor Jonathan Moyo said it was unacceptable politically to give room to Bennett in the inclusive Government.

“He represents the unforgettable face of the brutality of Rhodesia, a regime that was provocative and insensitive to the majority,” he said.

“This guy is a well-known Rhodesian whose hands are dripping with the blood of innocent Zimbabweans. We are going to oppose him with all our ounces of energy and with all our imagination.”

Prof Moyo said opposition parties were trying to bring the Rhodesians back.

“While we accept reconciliation, it does not mean that you should come and run my house,” he said.

“We are not saying all the Rhodesians are bad, but Bennett is objectionable.”

ZANU PF secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa said: “Unfortunately at Lancaster House, it was agreed to forgive.

“At that time we never thought that the Bennett problem would ever arise. As ZANU PF, we go by forgiveness.”

With the advent of independence, Bennett was part of the group of Rhodies who still believed in white supremacy that formed the Republican Front (RF) party.

After the demise of the RF, with many whites defecting to ZANU PF and helping restore democracy, Bennett and a few other whites insisted on keeping the offshoot of the racist party.

After the political failure of RF, Bennett launched a campaign against the defectors and encouraged them to join the Conservative Alliance of Zimbabwe.

The CAZ failed to yield success again, but some of its members played a significant role in the formation of the MDC in 1999.

However, MDC-M spokesperson Mr Edwin Mushoriwa said Bennett should be appointed to the ministerial post just as a matter of “compromise”.

“The inclusive Government is a product of compromise, so Mr Bennett should be appointed to the post on that basis,” he said.

“All the three parties were given a chance to select ministers and MDC-T should be given the chance to exercise that right.”

MDC-T spokesperson Nelson Chamisa denied that Bennett was a Selous Scout.

“Where did you hear that? As far as I know he was not a Selous Scout,” he said.

Mr Chamisa said the Bennett issue was one of the main points discussed during the party’s national executive meeting that was held yesterday.

“We took a common position (at the meeting) that Bennett should be sworn-in as soon as possible,” he said.

Attorney-General Mr Johannes Tomana has since filed an appeal at the Supreme Court against the acquittal of Bennett.

(Source)