Mugabe behind hard-line candidate for Hunzvi’s job

As Zimbabwe’s war veterans jostle for the top post left vacant by the late Chenjerai Hunzvi, President Robert Mugabe has indicated his support for Hunzvi’s faction to continue at the helm of the war veterans association, the ‘Standard’ reported on Wednesday. The president, who is the patron of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) is pushing for Andrew Ndlovu and Joseph Chinotimba to lead the grouping.

The newspaper reported that Mugabe, whose political future hinges heavily on the activities of the war veterans, wanted to ensure that the association was led by people of unquestionable loyalty. Mugabe particularly favours Chinotimba and Ndlovu because of their militant stance on issues he considers important, and for their unconditional loyalty to himself and his party. The two were also close lieutenants of the late Hunzvi.

During the run-up to last year’s parliamentary campaign, Ndlovu declared that war veterans would wage a war if the ruling ZANU-PF lost to the MDC. Chinotimba has also been leading violent farm and company invasions which have led to millions of dollars being extorted from company executives by war veterans.