Splinter war vets group to be formed

As the ugly factional and succession wars ripping President Robert Mugabe's post-congress Zanu-PF apart continue to escalate, there are signs that the mooted plan to form a splinter war veterans group by disaffected party members is gathering steam.

Well-placed sources who spoke to the Daily News yesterday said it was now a matter of time before the new rival body for liberation struggle stalwarts, apparently to be known as the Zimbabwe War Veterans Heritage Trust (ZWVHT), set shop.

The development comes as the leadership of the Christopher Mutsvangwa-chaired Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) has come under increasing fire for its alleged support of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa in Zanu-PF's wars to succeed Mugabe.

However, one of ZWVHT's alleged kingpins, Patrick Nyaruwata yesterday professed ignorance over the issue, while Andy Mhlanga — who is also allegedly being courted to play a leading role in the new representative body — pooh-poohed the idea, even as insiders were claiming that the project's promoters were now close to unveiling the new organisation.

"I encourage all the war veterans not to be divided. Yes there might be divisions, but it's not the best way forward. I encourage all war veterans to respect our vice presidents, the president and the organs of the party.

"These divisive elements don't take us anywhere … we should not concentrate on individual aggrandisement. We should be focusing our efforts on bettering our welfare," Mhlanga said yesterday.

"I urge the war veterans to concentrate on working hard to improve the economy. I also urge various ministries to assist war veterans in their endeavours to better their welfare," he added.

As all of this unfolds, Mutsvangwa is on political tenterhooks after his wife, Monica, was on Tuesday booted out of the Zanu-PF women's league on account of her alleged indiscipline and flouting of party procedures.

"The G40 specifically want Mutsvangwa and his secretary-general Victor Matemadanda to be sacked, and to be replaced by Nyaruwata, Webster Shamu and Mhlanga, but this will be resisted fiercely," a source told the Daily News' sister paper, the Daily News on Sunday at the weekend.

The source added that a key Grace ally, Sarah Mahoka (Zanu-PF Hurungwe East MP) had allegedly already engaged Nyaruwata to team up with Shamu and Mhlanga to take-over the reigns of the organisation.

"Mahoka facilitated a meeting at party headquarters between Nyaruwata, Shamu and company to mobilise war veterans to support Amai (First Lady Grace Mugabe), and subsequently replace the Mutsvangwa executive because it is seen as strongly pro-Lacoste (Mnangagwa)," the source said.

This also comes after party political commissar Saviour Kasukwere savaged Mutsvangwa and his sympathisers for allegedly plotting against Mugabe.