Rivals delighted as Mutsvangwa humiliated; war vets ouster signals shift in Mnangagwa succession

Mutsvangwa is understood to harbour ambitions of high office of his own and sees the vice president as an obstacle in his pathway to power.

By Political Correspondent

RULING Zanu PF party national spokesperson Chris Mutsvangwa suffered a humiliating ouster as chairman of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) over the weekend.

Mutsvangwa had been at the helm of the struggle veterans’ association for some eleven years following his controversial election in 2013.

However, in elections held Saturday at the association’s congress in Gweru, Cephas Ncube, from Bulawayo province was overwhelmingly elected new chairman with 294 votes.

In second place was Albert Ncube with 90 votes followed by Victor Matemadanda who was secretary general in the outgoing executive (75 votes), with Mutsvangwa a distant fourth on just 11 votes.

Exiled former cabinet ministers Walter Mzembi and Saviour Kasukuwere – often targets of attack at Mutsvangwa’s press conferences – were quick to put the boot in.

Quipped Mzembi, “Unelectable. Face of Defeat. Chris Mutsvangwa has popularised Number 11!”

😂😂😂😂😂Cde 11 pic.twitter.com/m3woYLNaje

— Saviour Kasukuwere (@Hon_Kasukuwere) October 13, 2024

Mutsvangwa and Matemadanda have been key allies of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and used their roles at the helm of the veterans’ association to support his take-over of power the through the 2017 ‘soft coup’.

Zanu PF party is again riven by bitter divisions between factions pushing for Mnangagwa to remain in power beyond his current and final term in 2028.

A rival group backs vice president Constantino Chiwenga who was at the helm of the military it engineered the coup which ousted long-ruling Robert Mugabe in 2017.

Mutsvangwa is understood to harbour ambitions of high office of his own and sees the vice president as an obstacle in his pathway to power.

Meanwhile the new veterans’ leader pledged to represent all liberation was ex-fighters.

“I am very happy with the trust that has been bestowed on me by my fellow comrades and I promise to work very hard with everyone as we take our association forward,” said Ncube after the vote.

“I will soon be engaging everyone so that we remain as vibrant as before as an association.”