They spearheaded the liberation struggle in the 1970s and were at the forefront of land reform in 2000. Now Zimbabwe’s war veterans are coveting parliamentary seats.
Several senior members of the Zimbabwe War Veterans Association are keen to contest next March’s poll on the ruling Zanu-PF ticket, ostensibly to complete the gains of the liberation struggle.
During the five elections held since independence in 1980, the former freedom fighters have been content to serve as foot soldiers and mobilise support for the party’s senior politicians.
War veterans’ leader Jabulani Sibanda told the Mail & Guardian that a ”reawakening of the revolutionary spirit” among his association’s members is behind their surge for parliamentary office.
”Zimbabwe is now a revolutionary nation, country and party. To us Parliament has become a means by which our revolution can be carried out and onwards through direct participation in the making of laws in our country.”
The resolution has unsettled senior Zanu-PF politicians and further strained relations in the party ahead of primary elections’ scheduled for the end of the year.
The former combatants are challenging senior Zanu-PF officials, including Speaker of Parliament Emmerson Mnangangwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs Stan Mudenge, Anti-Corruption Minister Didymus Mutasa and Matabeleland North Governor Obert Mpofu.
The interest of war veterans in Parliament is but one dimension of the election struggles within the ruling party. Senior officials led by Vice-President Joseph Msika are trying to elbow out young and ambitious members, known as mafikizolos. The party’s supreme decision body — the politburo — is reported to have endorsed the formation of a committee to draw up stringent guidelines to vet party members who wish to contest the March plebiscite and to ensure that ”johnny-come-latelies” are excluded.
Tensions are being whipped up further in Matabeleland, where allegations of tribalism, pitting Ndebele supporters against Shonas, are resurfacing. Zanu-PF secretary for the commissariat, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, has accused Sibanda of mobilising youth in Matabeleland to beat up former PF-Zapu Ndebeles and firing Shona-speaking civil servants working in the region. Sibanda has refuted the allegations, dismissing them as ”nonsense”.
Instead, he accused Zanu-PF politburo members from Matabeleland of pursuing personal interests. ”They have amassed so much personal wealth and they now forget where they came from,” said Sibanda.
Elsewhere in the country, several Zanu-PF MPs are fighting to retain their seats. In Beit Bridge, Minister of Home Affairs Kembo Mohadi is embroiled in a two-pronged assault to fend off contenders. He has been accused of abusing his position to push his challengers out of the race. A week ago he was reported to have ordered the detention of war veteran Samuel Mlaudzi during a campaign rally.
In August Mohadi was accused of ordering the arrest of acting Bulawayo provincial administrator, Edson Mbedzi. Mbedzi was acquitted of stealing farm equipment.
In Masvingo Central, Eddison Zvobgo Jnr is pitted against the party’s provincial chairperson, Daniel Shumba. Zvobgo is reported to enjoy the support of several senior party officials, including retired Air Marshall Josiah Tungamirai and national commissar Elliot Manyika.