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Pro-Mnangagwa war veterans faction to host congress
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A faction of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) is scheduled to hold an elective congress in President Emmerson Mnangagwa's Midlands province on Sunday, with plans to endorse the controversial 2030 agenda. This agenda aims to amend the constitution to allow the president to extend his term of office beyond the current end date of 2028.
Although President Mnangagwa has publicly stated his intention to retire at the end of his term in 2028, his declarations have failed to quell the momentum behind the 2030 agenda. Already, the ruling ZANU-PF's Women's and Youth leagues have come out in support of the initiative, indicating strong backing from the party's younger factions.
Sources within ZANU-PF suggest that the 2030 agenda will be a prominent topic at the upcoming party conference in Bulawayo later this month, likely becoming a central resolution. However, two of the ZNLWVA's structures have yet to make an official stance on the matter, leaving the outcome uncertain.
The ZNLWVA currently operates under three different leadership structures: those led by Christopher Mutsvangwa, Moffat Marashwa, and Andrease Mathibela. While Mutsvangwa and Marashwa's factions appear poised to endorse the 2030 agenda, Mathibela's camp has vehemently opposed the plan, stating their intention to mobilize citizens against any efforts to extend Mnangagwa's presidency beyond constitutional limits.
"This serves to notify our membership and the nation at large that the ZNLWVA is going to hold its elective congress on the 12th of October 2024," ZNLWVA spokesperson Sam Parirenyatwa announced in a letter to members. "The congress shall be held in Gweru, Midlands province. Members are advised to liaise with their provincial chairpersons for finer details."
Originally scheduled for July 14-16, the congress was postponed due to internal rifts among the factions of ex-combatants. Mathibela confirmed yesterday that his faction would not participate in the congress, asserting, "We are not part of that congress; they are doing their own thing. We are focusing on addressing the welfare issues of war veterans in the country."
As discussions heat up, it is reported that Mnangagwa is aware of the considerable influence that war veterans hold over the security sector, as many of them are still active in military and police roles. There are growing concerns that some ex-combatants aspire to transform the ZNLWVA into a political party, motivated by recent developments in South Africa, where former veterans challenged the ruling African National Congress in the May elections.
As the congress approaches, the divisions within the ZNLWVA are poised to play a crucial role in shaping Zimbabwe's political landscape, especially as the ruling party gears up for its October conference and the general elections looming on the horizon.
Although President Mnangagwa has publicly stated his intention to retire at the end of his term in 2028, his declarations have failed to quell the momentum behind the 2030 agenda. Already, the ruling ZANU-PF's Women's and Youth leagues have come out in support of the initiative, indicating strong backing from the party's younger factions.
Sources within ZANU-PF suggest that the 2030 agenda will be a prominent topic at the upcoming party conference in Bulawayo later this month, likely becoming a central resolution. However, two of the ZNLWVA's structures have yet to make an official stance on the matter, leaving the outcome uncertain.
The ZNLWVA currently operates under three different leadership structures: those led by Christopher Mutsvangwa, Moffat Marashwa, and Andrease Mathibela. While Mutsvangwa and Marashwa's factions appear poised to endorse the 2030 agenda, Mathibela's camp has vehemently opposed the plan, stating their intention to mobilize citizens against any efforts to extend Mnangagwa's presidency beyond constitutional limits.
Originally scheduled for July 14-16, the congress was postponed due to internal rifts among the factions of ex-combatants. Mathibela confirmed yesterday that his faction would not participate in the congress, asserting, "We are not part of that congress; they are doing their own thing. We are focusing on addressing the welfare issues of war veterans in the country."
As discussions heat up, it is reported that Mnangagwa is aware of the considerable influence that war veterans hold over the security sector, as many of them are still active in military and police roles. There are growing concerns that some ex-combatants aspire to transform the ZNLWVA into a political party, motivated by recent developments in South Africa, where former veterans challenged the ruling African National Congress in the May elections.
As the congress approaches, the divisions within the ZNLWVA are poised to play a crucial role in shaping Zimbabwe's political landscape, especially as the ruling party gears up for its October conference and the general elections looming on the horizon.
Source - the standard
