THE Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (Zpra) war veterans association has called on Zanu PF and government officials to stop interfering with preparations for the upcoming Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) congress.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is said to be seeking his power using the war veterans congress to bury the presidential ambitions of his deputy Constantino Chiwenga.
The congress has been postponed twice.
It was initially scheduled for June 14 to 16 in the Midlands province, Mnangagwa’s backyard but was postponed amid allegations of divisions among ex-combatants.
Zpra association deputy spokesperson Patrick Moyo, said Zanu PF and the government should allow ex-combatants from Zpra and Zanla to choose their leaders.
Zpra and Zanla were the military wings of Zapu and Zanu respectively during the liberation war.
“The government wants to drive a car that it does not belong to,” Moyo said.
“This should be a game between the two liberation movements.”
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“We are the ones, who started the ZNLWVA led by Chenjerai "Hitler" Hunzvi in 1997.
“No one should not lead what he did not start...We want to leave a legacy
“We cannot feast on the future of the unborn children because when they are born they will be poor.”
There are three different ZNLWVA structures led by Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa, Moffat Marashwa and Andrease Mathibela.
Mutsvangwa, Zimbabwe's ambassador to Mozambique, Victor Matemadanda, Joel Mureremba and Mathibela are eyeing the ZNLWA’s top post.
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 former president Jacob Zuma formed the Umkhonto weSizwe.
ZNLWVA has been Zanu PF’s main support pillar ahead of each election, with war veterans often accused of leading violent campaigns against the opposition.
In 2000, the war veterans led the invasion of farms in an operation that the ruling party deemed necessary to correct colonial land imbalances between blacks and whites.
They were also instrumental in the pre- and post-November coup in 2017 which ushered in the Mnangagwa administration.
