The election of a new Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) leadership during a congress held in Gweru Saturday, resulting in the ousting of Christopher Mutsvangwa, is raising legality issues.
This follows a pending court case involving three factions aligned with leaders, Elias Marashwa, Ethan Mathibela and Mutsvangwa, in which High Court Judge, Justice Philda Muzofa ordered the splinter groups to reach an agreement on the legitimate leader of ZNLWVA and report their final decision to the court on October 21, 2024.
"IT IS ORDERED THAT:
1. Whereas the parties are agreed that three factions represented by Elias Marashwa, Christopher Mutsvangwa, and Edward Dube claim to be the legitimate leadership of the Zimbabwe National War Veterans Association.
And recognising the need to dispose of the real issue of the legitimate leadership, THE PARTIES ARE DIRECTED AS FOLLOWS
1. Engage on how the matter must proceed to deal with the real issues.
2. Appear virtually before the Court with the agreed position on 21 October 2024 at 1500 hours," reads Muzofa's order.
However, the war veterans went on and conducted a questionable congress in Gweru that saw Mutsvangwa, who had been leading the ZNLWVA for 11 years since 2013, biting the dust after registered only 11 votes.
The other candidates received significantly more support with Cephas Ncube securing victory after amassing 294 votes. Other contenders for the chairmanship, Albert Ncube received 90 votes and Victor Matemadanda garnered 75 votes.
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Media reports ahead of the weekend noted that Edward Dube, secretary general of a faction aligned with Matibela, criticizing and asserting that Saturday's congress contradicts the High Court's order.
"It has come to our attention that one of the factions is attempting to host a ZNLWVA Congress on October 12 in Gweru. Given that this matter is still pending before the courts, such a Congress would be invalid and in direct contravention of the Court's Order.
"The lawyers representing all three factions are currently in consultation to map out the best way forward, which we hope will provide clarity on our association's legitimate leadership, to be presented to Justice Muzofa on the 21st," Dube was quoted saying.
Marashwa, chairman of another ZNLWVA faction, was hopeful the court would amicably resolve the leadership crisis among the ex-combatants.
"We are hopeful that the factions would find an amicable solution to the contentious leadership issue of the war veterans. As genuine war veterans, we feel that squabbles are not good for the welfare of former liberation war fighters.
"Instead of fighting among ourselves, war veterans should be teaching the young generation about preserving and upholding the virtues and ideals of an independent Zimbabwe," Marashwa said.
Zanu PF insiders say the weekend congress had President Emmerson Mnangagwa's blessings and was a plot to remove ambitious Mutsvangwa from the helm of the war veterans, who are de-facto ruling party political commissars, who will be instrumental in the former's bid for a third presidential term.
Interestingly, following his ouster, Mutsvangwa expressed confidence in the new executive.
