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In the latest developments regarding the contentious case among the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) factions on the legitimate leadership of the association currently before the High Court of Zimbabwe, on 7 October 2024, Honourable Mrs Justice Muzofa issued a Court Order directing the three factions, represented by Comrades Elias Marashwa, Christopher Mutsvangwa and Ethan Mathibela, to engage in discussions on how best to resolve the real issues before the court.
Below is the order:
“IT IS ORDERED THAT:
1. Whereas the parties are agreed that three factions represented by Elias Marashwa, Christopher Mutsvangwa, and Edward Dube claim to be the legitimate leadership of the Zimbabwe National War Veterans Association.
And recognising the need to dispose of the real issue of the legitimate leadership, THE PARTIES ARE DIRECTED AS FOLLOWS
1. Engage on how the matter must proceed to deal with the real issues.
2. Appear virtually before the Court with the agreed position on 21 October 2024 at 1500 hours,” Justice Muzofa ordered.
The Court further ordered the parties to appear virtually before Her Honour on October 21, 2024, at 3 pm to present an agreed position.
The Secretary-General of the ZNLWVA led by Mathibela, Edward Dube, appraised faction members that a congress it had planned for 12 October 2024 in Gweru would not proceed as planned because doing so would violate the Court Order.
“It has come to our attention that one of the factions is attempting to host a ZNLWVA Congress on October 12 in Gweru. Given that this matter is still pending before the courts, such a Congress would be invalid and in direct contravention of the Court’s Order. The lawyers representing all three factions are currently in consultation to map out the best way forward, which we hope will provide clarity on our association’s legitimate leadership, to be presented to Justice Muzofa on the 21st,” Dube said.
Elias Marashwa, the Chairman of the other ZNLWVA faction, who claims to be among the founders of the association, was hopeful that the Court would provide an amicable solution to the leadership crisis among the liberation war fighters.
“We are hopeful that the factions would find an amicable solution to the contentious leadership issue of the war veterans. As genuine war veterans, we feel that squabbles are not good for the welfare of former liberation war fighters. Instead of fighting among ourselves, war veterans should be teaching the young generation about preserving and upholding the virtues and ideals of an independent Zimbabwe,” Marashwa said.