The new Zanu-PF leadership has thrown down the gauntlet to the Zimbabwean War Veterans’ Association and warned them not to ”behave like renegades or anarchists”. A war of words has erupted between the two sides, a battle that can intensify as the primaries draw closer.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has admitted that international sanctions are hurting his country. Delivering the keynote address at the Zanu-PF congress, he railed against the usual suspect — British Prime Minster Tony Blair — for ”wanting the collapse of the Zimbabwe economy”. Mugabe also expressed concern about corruption and the abuse of depositors’ funds in the financial sector.

The Zanu-PF old guard has awoken from its slumber ahead of the party’s crucial congress in Harare next week and achieved what many world leaders, including President Thabo Mbeki, have been unable to do: summons President Robert Mugabe and get him to act on their advice. Surrounded by trusted former liberation war fighters, Mugabe relented and endorsed their candidate for the one vacant vice-presidential post.

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.

Zanu-PF bigwigs are at loggerheads over the eviction of more than 400 families, including war veterans, from 22 farms they occupied during the land grabs that accompanied Zimbabwe’s last parliamentary elections. Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena said the people ”illegally settled themselves” on the farms and the government was now ”regularising the land reform”.

Life after President Robert Mugabe is a thought that has been avoided for more than two decades, but the old man will not be seeking re-election in 2008. Meanwhile, three camps have emerged within Zanu-PF in the run-up to the party’s congress in December where Mugabe’s successor will be decided.

”Yes, I came to understand Zanu-PF and its principles, why they went to war to fight Ian Smith, why they need to take land now and teach Tony Blair a lesson.” The M&G speaks to two graduates of Zimbabwe’s youth camps, where recruits are being trained to carry out a ”vigorous” campaign for Zanu-PF in next year’s election.