Staff ReporterBULAWAYO: War veterans aligned to embattled vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa have vowed to resist the proposed push to include a woman in the Zanu PF presidium.
The former fighters feel the resolution is being “sponsored” by the ruling party‘s G40 faction to ensure its leader Grace Mugabe becomes vice president.
Zanu PF provinces have unanimously endorsed a call to turn this year’s annual people’s Conference into an extraordinary congress.
Although secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo says congress will affirm President Robert Mugabe as the ruling party’s candidate for next year’s elections, some provinces have also resolved that the party’s constitution be amended to accommodate a female vice president.
However, addressing journalists in Bulawayo on Monday, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) Bulawayo chairperson Cephas Ncube accused G40 leaders of trying to use the extra ordinary congress to catapult their preferred candidate.
“We have this situation of G40 which has nothing to do with Zanu (PF),” said Ncube.
“They already have their own preferred candidate. We are watching them closely and monitoring their next move.
“Nothing will stop us from defending the revolution which we fought for.”
Ncube was flanked by (ZNLWVA) Matebeleland South chairperson Zenzo Ncube and Matebeleland North chairperson, Section Ncube, during the media briefing.
He said war veterans were not against the proposed extraordinary congress but is against the continuous “changing of the party’s constitution to suite personal and individual interests”.
“We cannot have a situation where the party’s constitution is being changed at the pleasure of other people. In 2014, we amended the constitution so that we do away with the quote system.
“Hardly five years down the line, do we want to revert to old system again? We are not blind and we know these are the machinations of G40 to smuggle their own person.”
The war veterans’ leader also hit out at the G40-aligned war veteran faction led by Patrick Nyaruwata and George Mlala.
“ZNLWVA was elected in Masvingo and its association is led by Christopher Mutsvangwa and his executive,” said Ncube.
“The current situation where we have Nyaruwata and Mlala masquerading as war veterans’ leaders is unacceptable. These two gentlemen were not elected and want to impose themselves on us.”
Ncube urged ZNLWVA district and provincial leaders to stop Mlala and Nyaruwata allies from infiltrating their structures. He also accused Nyaruwata of looting funds, meant for the ex-combatants’ investment projects.
“Nyaruwata was part of the (Chenjerai) Hunzvi executive. He is one of the culprits who looted the ZESCOM funds. He has a case to answer,” he said.
