Harare – Zimbabwe’s former freedom fighters have reportedly called on Rhodesians “scattered across the world” to come back and rebuild the southern African country.

According to New Zimbabwe.com, the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) said that the current government led by President Robert Mugabe had failed.

“We want them (Rhodesians) to be part of the next governance in Zimbabwe because this country has been run on a scotched earth policy by the G40. We want it to recover and for us to build a new country,” ZNLWVA’s chairperson Chris Mutsvangwa was quoted as saying.

Mutsvangwa said this while addressing journalists in Harare over the weekend.

G40 (Generatiuon 40) was a faction within the ruling Zanu-PF party made up of Young Turks and reportedly linked to First Lady Grace Mugabe. New Zimbabwe.com said that Mugabe was thought to be the patron.

Mutsvangwa’s remarks came after the war veterans indicated last week that they were planning a “crunch rally“ which was set to “consolidate” their position in the Zanu-PF succession conundrum “and provide a clear idea of where the country is going”.

The rally was set for this week in Harare.

The  war veterans, who used to be staunch Mugabe defenders, had in recent years become his most aggressive critics.

Zimbabwe has been reeling under harsh economic conditions following the imposition of sanctions against the southern African country more than a decade ago by the Western countries.