War veterans demand automatic entry to elections

War veterans are demanding automatic tickets to represent the governing Zanu-PF party in the by-elections to fill vacant parliamentary and municipal seats.

They want the same to be done in the District Coordinating Committee (DCC elections).

The ruling party is holding primary elections ahead of the much-awaited by-elections to fill seats left vacant after the MDC-T interim President Thokozani Khupe recalled 30 legislators and 80 councillors saying they were no longer members of her party.

Victor Matemadanda, the secretary general of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWA) and Zanu-PF commissar revealed that war veterans were pushing for automatic slots in the elections as most of them were bona- fide party members.

Matemadanda, however, said "they have to be vetted" by the party's politburo first.

"We are in the process of selecting candidates to contest in the by elections and DCC and most of the war veterans have said they wanted to be voted to represent the party," Matemadanda said.

 "The candidates have to be vetted and approved by the party Politburo and most of the war veterans want an automatic entry into the race as the majority of them have a track record of the party."

In the ongoing by elections in Zanu-PF some of the war veterans who have indicated that they want to contest in the by elections included Lawrence Katsiru in Marondera Central and Jeremiah Chiwetu Marondera East Constituency.

Some of the war veterans who are legislators include Joseph Chinotimba (Buhera South) and Matemadanda (Gokwe Central), among others.

ZNLWVA chairperson Christopher Mutsvangwa is the Zanu-PF shadow MP for Norton Constituency.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Vice Presidents Kembo Mohadi and Constantino Chiwenga and Zanu-PF national chairperson Oppah MuchinguriKashiri and secretary for administration Obert Mpofu are all war veterans.