News / National
Mnangagwa directs ministers to rein in splinter war veterans' groups
31 May 2024 at 16:24hrs | Views
Amidst resistance from fellow liberation war veterans regarding the possibility of a third presidential term, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has purportedly instructed his aides to purge the constituency of dissenting voices opposing the idea.
The Zanu-PF leader has been gauging the feasibility of pursuing a third term through constitutional amendments or postponing general elections until 2030, a notion vehemently criticized by certain war veterans.
There exist three distinct factions of war veterans operating under the same name — Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) — led by Christopher Mutsvangwa, Moffat Marashwa, and Andreas Mathibela, each with differing stances on the proposed term extension or election delay.
In an effort to calm the restless constituency, a joint statement was issued by Minister of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs Monica Mavhunga, Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare Minister July Moyo, and Zanu-PF Secretary for War Veterans Douglas Kahiya on Thursday, urging the ZNLWVA factions to hold unified elections to establish a single representative body.
"It has been noted with concern that there are multiple leadership structures claiming legitimacy under the same name, ZNLWVA (PVO 1/90). This has led to confusion, hence the urgent need to rectify the situation.
"In consultation with the then Acting President K.C.D Mohadi, on behalf of the patron, His Excellency President Cde E.D Mnangagwa, we hereby direct as follows: that democratic elections inclusive of all structures of the ZNLWVA led by Cde Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa, Moffat Marashwa, and Andreas Mathibela be convened from district, provincial, and national levels to establish a single leadership," part of the joint statement reads.
It was further stipulated that dates for elections across the three levels be communicated in due course, with all other arrangements made by the separate ZNLWVA groups rendered void.
Additionally, all members of the three ZNLWVA factions were cautioned against name-dropping, effectively reining in the vocal former liberation war fighters who played a pivotal role in Mnangagwa's rise to power through a military-backed coup in November 2017.
The Zanu-PF leader has been gauging the feasibility of pursuing a third term through constitutional amendments or postponing general elections until 2030, a notion vehemently criticized by certain war veterans.
There exist three distinct factions of war veterans operating under the same name — Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) — led by Christopher Mutsvangwa, Moffat Marashwa, and Andreas Mathibela, each with differing stances on the proposed term extension or election delay.
In an effort to calm the restless constituency, a joint statement was issued by Minister of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs Monica Mavhunga, Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare Minister July Moyo, and Zanu-PF Secretary for War Veterans Douglas Kahiya on Thursday, urging the ZNLWVA factions to hold unified elections to establish a single representative body.
"In consultation with the then Acting President K.C.D Mohadi, on behalf of the patron, His Excellency President Cde E.D Mnangagwa, we hereby direct as follows: that democratic elections inclusive of all structures of the ZNLWVA led by Cde Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa, Moffat Marashwa, and Andreas Mathibela be convened from district, provincial, and national levels to establish a single leadership," part of the joint statement reads.
It was further stipulated that dates for elections across the three levels be communicated in due course, with all other arrangements made by the separate ZNLWVA groups rendered void.
Additionally, all members of the three ZNLWVA factions were cautioned against name-dropping, effectively reining in the vocal former liberation war fighters who played a pivotal role in Mnangagwa's rise to power through a military-backed coup in November 2017.
Source - newzimbabwe
