War veterans congress dates set

Source: The Herald – Breaking news.

Cde Mahiya also clarified the difference between the War Veterans League and the ZNLWVA saying the former was an organ of Zanu PF comprising former liberation fighters, while the ZNLWVA was an affiliate of the party.

Joseph Madzimure-Zimpapers Politics Hub

THE much awaited congress of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) will be held from June 14 to 16, with preparations underway.

The last congress was held in 2013 in Masvingo where Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa and his executive were elected to lead the association.

ZNLWVA was supposed to hold a congress every five years, but that was shelved owing to other pressing issues such as the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Zanu PF congress and conferences, and the harmonised elections held last year.

The elective congress is in line with the association’s constitutional requirements.

ZNLWVA’s executive led by its Political Commissar, Cde Joel Mureremba, is moving across the country informing members about the impending congress.

Zanu PF Secretary for War Veterans Cde Douglas Mahiya confirmed the dates.

“The preparations are underway. Everything is going on very well, but names of candidates contesting the chairmanship are yet to be announced. All positions are up for grabs,” he said.

Recently, Cde Mureremba said they were directed by President Mnangagwa, who is the patron of the association, to prepare for the elective congress.

Cde Mahiya also clarified the difference between the War Veterans League and the ZNLWVA saying the former was an organ of Zanu PF comprising former liberation fighters, while the ZNLWVA was an affiliate of the party.

“ZNLWVA are not represented in the party, but they are a pressure group, whereas the league has got a fully-fledged Secretary in the Politburo.

“The role of the War Veterans League in the party is to mobilise war veterans to participate in socio-economic, political and cultural issues of the party.

“The war veterans, before the New Dispensation, seemed to have taken a back seat in political issues, so the league is responsible for mobilising them to take part in politics.

“The league is also responsible for ensuring that we have programmes and projects for the war veterans. It is the responsibility of the league to protect the interests of the party and to act in defence of the party leadership,” he said.

Programmes meant to benefit the war veterans were being crafted and these include the establishment of a war veterans family trust.

There are about 35 000 surviving war veterans in the country.