'Mugabe, war vets clashes mark end of Zanu-PF'

The continued economic meltdown and ructions between government and the war veterans could mark the beginning of the end of Zanu-PF political hegemony in the country, a local think-tank has predicted.

The conclusions are contained in a Zimbabwe Democracy Institute policy brief titled: Economic Crisis and Prospects of Regime Breakdown in Zimbabwe.

The report comes as the country faces a long winter of political protests that has shaken the government and brought it once more under international scrutiny.

"In recent weeks, there appears to be clear disruption of the umbilical cord between the war veterans and the political leadership of Zanu-PF especially elements aligned to President Robert Mugabe who do not have liberation war credentials as it relates to succession power struggles," the report reads.

It quotes the war veterans' communiqué issued last month declaring among other things, the body and the toiling masses would not support Mugabe in any future elections as he had shown he was only concerned with self-aggrandisement.

"It is thus evident that the current economic environment has caused fissures between the regime and this critical sector and could be the Waterloo for the regime in the sense that the war veterans are challenging Mugabe on ideological, legal and economic performance of his rule," the report added.

The report further suggested the failing economy would further strain relations between the government and its employees particularly the security services who have defended it in the past.

"The fact that the government is failing to consistently remunerate on time public sector workers and the security sector provides another litmus test to the relationship between the security sector and the regime in a situation where the war veterans are largely speaking the language of the opposition and popularising the politics of dissent against Mugabe and his administration," it said.