War veterans battle Mnangagwa in court

The escalating succession battle within the ruling Zanu PF party has now taken a legal twist, as a group of war veterans has dragged President Emmerson Mnangagwa to court over his controversial land tenure policy. The ex-combatants argue that Mnangagwa's decision to replace 99-year leases with title deeds - effectively privatising state land - is unconstitutional and undermines the land reform legacy they fought for.

The case, filed at the High Court, seeks a declaration that the President's policy directive violates specific sections of the Zimbabwean Constitution, including Sections 72(5), 293(3), and 257(1)(a), which relate to land rights, security of tenure, and state ownership of agricultural land. The applicants are five war veterans led by outspoken former freedom fighter Joseph "Ginger" Chinguwa and the War Veterans Pressure Group Trust.

The respondents in the matter include President Mnangagwa himself, Lands and Agriculture Minister Anxious Masuka, and the Zimbabwe Land Commission. The war veterans are being represented by prominent human rights lawyer and opposition figure Tendai Biti of Tendai Biti Law.

The legal challenge comes after Mnangagwa launched the Land Tenure Implementation Programme at his private Pricabe Farm in Sherwood, Kwekwe, in December last year. The programme is being rolled out by the Land Tenure Implementation Committee, which is chaired by controversial businessman and presidential ally Kudakwashe Tagwirei.

Critics argue the move to issue title deeds is not only a political ploy to consolidate power and secure loyalty ahead of internal party shifts, but also a direct threat to the communal land ethos established during Zimbabwe's historic land reform programme. War veterans, once Mnangagwa's staunchest allies, now say the shift in land policy betrays the revolution and gives undue economic power to elites at the expense of liberation war values.

"We are not against land tenure reform per se," said Chinguwa in a statement following the court filing. "But any reform must be constitutional, transparent, and aligned with the principles we fought for. Privatising land under the guise of empowerment is a betrayal."

The court challenge marks a deepening rift between Mnangagwa and sections of the war veterans' movement—once a critical pillar of his political support base. Analysts see the legal challenge as part of a broader succession struggle within Zanu PF, as factions position themselves for influence in a post-Mnangagwa era.

If the court rules in favor of the war veterans, the decision could have significant implications for Mnangagwa's land reform agenda and his broader political strategy. For now, the courtroom becomes the latest battleground in a power struggle that continues to reshape the internal dynamics of Zanu PF and the future of land ownership in Zimbabwe.