Government makes U-turn on Mutsvangwa leadership
By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |
In under a week, government has made a U-turn on its announcement that it had replaced the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) chairperson, Christopher Mutsvangwa.
The outspoken Mutsvangwa was recently expelled from the ruling Zanu PF for allegedly denigrating President Robert Mugabe and his wife, Grace.
Tshinga Dube, who took Mutsvangwa’s portfolio as minister in charge of war veterans’ welfare at the weekend announced that government had given Mutsvangwa’s chair to Robert Ncube, a retired colonel and ex-combatant.
The decision, he said, followed a meeting by some 60 war veterans who included senior securocrats, among them Paradzayi Zimhondi, the prisons boss, police deputy commissioner general, Levi Sibanda and the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) chief of staff, Douglas Nyikarayamba who are reportedly opposed to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
But, on Wednesday, Dube was singing a different tune, saying government did not have the mandate to interfere with the war vets’ body’s leadership choices.
He added that his ministry would not cut the benefits of ex-fighters who have withdrawn their support for President Robert Mugabe as reported.
“The issue of leadership in the (war vets’) association is not my mandate. My ministry’s mandate is purely administrative and does not extend to the appointment of leaders in the association.
“The association is an independent organisation, which has its own constitution that guides them on appointments and expulsions,” he said.
He added: “The ministry will not, under any circumstances, suspend benefits they are entitled to, unless there are any reasons, which restrict the ministry from doing so in terms of the Constitution and the War Veterans Act,” said Dube.
Mutsvangwa had threatened to sue government over the decision to remove him from the ZNLWVA.
“Our client advised us that you have unnecessarily and unlawfully appointed Mr Robert Ncube in the office of acting chairman while Mr Chris Mutsvangwa is still holding the office.
“We, therefore, have been instructed to demand, as we hereby do, that you revoke the aforementioned purported appointment in writing within seven working days of your receipt of this letter, failing which we have instructions to take appropriate legal action against you and anyone who may have taken part in the making of that decision,” said Mutsvangwa’s lawyers. Nehanda Radio
