Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association

ZNLWVA

Full name	Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association
Founded	1980
Members	30,000[1]
Head union	Jabulani Sibanda
Affiliation	ZANU-PF
Key people	Joseph Chinotimba, vice chairman Chenjerai Hunzvi, former chairman
Office location	Harare, Zimbabwe
Country	Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) is a Zimbabwean organisation ostensibly led by former combatants of the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) who served during the Rhodesian Bush War.^[1] In 2005, the government looked into ways to make members of the organisation part of the army of Zimbabwe.^[2]

History

The ZNLWVA was formed after Zimbabwe's independence in 1980. It was mainly formed to look into the needs of demobilised combatants, mostly members of Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army and Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army. All veterans became members by default.

ZNLWVA was a non-entity in the politics of Zimbabwe for more than fifteen years after it was founded. That changed when Chenjerai Hunzvi became its chairman in 1997. Hunzvi bitterly criticised ZANU-PF for profiting itself while its former guerrillas were ignored and cheated. The ZNLWVA pointed out that ZIPRA and ZANLA personnel excluded from the Zimbabwe National Army at independence had received only meagre pensions of Z$185 per month until 1983. Members had watched these savings evaporate in the wake of a growing financial crisis in the early 1990s.^[3] The organisation demonstrated at ZANU-PF headquarters in Harare and successfully lobbied for additional gratuities of Z$50,000 (equivalent to US$4000). Tax free pensions of Z$2,000 a month were also conceded. This success inspired the protests of another group, the Women in the National Liberation War Collaborators Association, which called on President Robert Mugabe to also compensate female partisans who had served as scouts and spies during the bush war.^[3]

In January 2000, ZNLWVA wrote a letter addressed to Queen Elizabeth II and communicated through Peter Longworth, the British High Commissioner to Zimbabwe. It gave vent to the frustrations of landless veterans and blamed the nation's white minority of predominantly British descent for refusing to participate in constructive land reform. ZNLWVA threatened a "bloodbath" in future "clashes against commercial farmers" unless land hunger was addressed to their satisfaction.^[4]

Around the start of the 21st century, members of ZNLWVA, notably Joseph Chinotimba led the invasions of white owned commercial farms with tacit approval from the government of Robert Mugabe, which became known as the Third Chimurenga. These invasions were often led by a war veteran but consisted mainly of youths too young to have participated in the independence war.

Instrument for ZANU-PF

ZNLWVA has a close alliance with Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), the ruling party, and by extension the government led by Robert Mugabe. In all elections since 2000, the members of the ZNLWVA, commonly known as 'war vets' have spearheaded election campaigns for ZANU-PF. They have become instrumental for ZANU-PF in suppressing the opposition through the use of harassment, intimidation, and violence. They often act alongside the ZANU-PF's youth formation. ^[5][6]

Leaders

Time period	Name
15-11-2014	Christopher Mutsvangwa
2001-15/11/2014	Jabulani Sibanda
1997–2001	Chenjerai Hunzvi
1990s	John Gwitira

References

1. Security Forces
2. Threat of War Vets (accessed 02/10/2008)
3. Stiff, Peter (June 2000). Cry Zimbabwe: Independence – Twenty Years On. Johannesburg: Galago Publishing. ISBN 978-1919854021.
4. Zim 'bloodbath warnings ignored'
5. Wat Vet Split (accessed 02/08/2008)
6. Factbox by Reuters (accessed 18/10/2010)