A FACTION of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) is set to hold an elective congress in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Midlands province on Sunday where they are expected to endorse the 2030 agenda.
Mnangagwa’s loyalists are pushing a 2030 agenda to amend the constitution so that the president extends his term of office beyond 2028.
The president has said that he would retire when his term expires in 2028, but his statements have done little to stop the 2030 agenda push
Already, the Zanu PF Women’s and Youth leagues have publicly endorsed the 2030 agenda.
Indications from Zanu PF sources is that the 2030 agenda will dominate proceedings at the ruling party’s October conference to be held in Bulawayo later this month, and will be one of the key resolutions.
Two ZNLWVA structures have not yet pronounced themselves on the 2030 agenda.
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There are three different ZNLWVA structures led by Christopher Mutsvangwa, Moffat Marashwa and Andrease Mathibela.
The Mathibela camp has opposed the 2030 agenda, and vowed to mobilise Zimbabweans to block any plans by Mnangagwa to remain in office beyond his constitutional term limits.
Indications are that the upcoming weekend ZNWLVA congress will see the other two camps endorsing the 2030 agenda in what could be a major boost for Mnangagwa loyalists as ex-combatants have played a key role in Zanu PF succession politics.
They were influential in the ouster of Mugabe, and have in the past played a key role supporting Zanu PF during elections.
“This serves to notify our membership and the nation at large that the ZNLWVA is going to hold its elective congress on the 12 of October 2024,” the spokesperson of the association, Sam Parirenyatwa, wrote to ZNLWVA members on Friday.
“The congress shall be held in Gweru, Midlands province. Members are advised to liase with their provincial chairpersons for finer details.”
The congress was initially penciled for July 14-16, but was postponed after cracks emerged among ex-combatants factions.
Yesterday, Mathibela said his camp would not attend the Sunday congress.
“We are not part of that congress; they are doing their own thing,” he said.
“We are focusing on addressing the welfare issues of war veterans in the country.”
Sources said Mnangagwa was aware that the war veterans have more influence on the security sector as some of the members are still serving.
There are fears that some ex-combatants want to turn the ZNLWVA into a political party, having been inspired by events in South Africa where their colleagues challenged the ruling African National Congress in May elections.