Andreas Ethan Mathibela, the leader of a faction of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA), has denounced the recent elective congress held by Christopher Mutsvangwa’s faction in Gweru on October 12, calling it a “nullity” and divisive.
The faction held an elective congress in Gweru, which resulted in Mutsvangwa’s defeat, with him receiving only 11 votes.
Instead, Cephas Ncube from Bulawayo was elected as the new chairman with 294 votes, followed by Albert Ncube of Matabeleland North with 90 votes, while Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Mozambique, Victor Matemadanda, came in third with 75 votes.
Speaking during a press conference at the Bulawayo Media Centre on Tuesday, Mathibela asserted that Mutsvangwa’s faction was composed mainly of ZANU PF War Veterans League members, and not bona fide ZNLWVA members. He said (via CITE):
The Mutsvangwa faction went ahead and conducted a so-called elective congress, which, in my view, was hastily arranged. Almost 100 per cent of those present were ZANU PF War Veterans League, members.
They chose what I would call a puppet executive, obviously against a court order. To me, this congress is a nullity.
There is a court order that prevents splinter groups from usurping the authority of the ZNLWVA as a whole.
Our organisation, ZNLWVA, is a national organisation that represents over 75 per cent of existing war veterans.We exist by reason of a constitutional provision of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
High Court Judge, Justice Philda Muzofa, ordered the three ZNLWVA factions led by Mathibela, Mutsvangwa, and Elias Marashwa, to reach a consensus on the legitimate leader of the association and report their final decision to the court by October 21, 2024. Said Mathibela:
We always reiterate our issues pertaining to the three factions before the Zimbabwean courts in Chinhoyi, the learned judge alluded to our squabbling and said it was not worth it and advised us to sit at the table. My so-called faction welcomed that order because it was an order.
We were given that before the 21st of this month (October) we should have sat down and reasoned around the best ways we can work together and I can only speak on behalf of my faction.
We have already sat down and we have reasoned that we are willing to go for the congress. This is the reason in the interest of unity it is not the first time.
Minister of Veterans – Monica Mavhunga, and Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare – July Moyo, represented by Lovemore Matuke, invited us for the same reason, to sit and find a day to do the congress because we represented the same constituency.
Guess what, the Mutsvangwa faction didn’t even attend, they undermined the authority of the government.
Midway, the Marashwa faction walked away, also openly disrespecting the authority of the government.
Mathibela said his faction remained in the meeting and proposed to rerun the elective congress, stating they wanted to unite veterans rather than remain in “factious deployments.”
He said many wanted him to condemn Mutsvangwa, Mahiya, Matematanda, and Ncube, but said it was more important to address the “elephant in the room.”
Mathibela accused the Mutsvangwa faction of abandoning the interests of war veterans in favour of personal gains, as they are “political appointees” who want to “please their appointer.”
He expressed hope that the factions would eventually come together for an elective congress that represents all war veterans.
Mathibela called for dialogue, urging his counterparts to sit down and work towards a unified congress. He is hopeful that they will agree to hold the elective congress that caters to all war veterans.
More: Pindula News