War veterans leader dethroned

The leader of Zimbabwe’s independence war veterans, Chenjerai Hitler Hunzvi was dethroned at the weekend by members of the ex-fighters’ association who accused him of reluctance to denounce police evictions last week of the former guerrillas from white-owned farms they had occupied since February.

Media reports said Andy Mhlanga, the general secretary of Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association also described Hunzvi as “dictatorial,” and said the organisation would meet next weekend to elect a new leader.

“We have taken this action because Hunzvi had become dictatorial and was now running the war veterans association like his personal poultry project. We are also not happy because he did not denounce police when they destroyed the war veterans homes,” Mhlanga said.

But Hunzvi has refused to accept the decision, saying the meeting did not follow procedure and accused Mhlanga of mounting a coup, the state-run ‘Herald’ newspaper said. “Andy Mhlanga is trying to usurp power,” the paper quoted Hunzvi as saying. “I am still in charge because he failed to follow legal procedures.”