War veterans leader missing after night visits by alleged state agents

Zimbabwe’s war veterans leader, Ethan Mathibela, is alleged to have gone missing after state security agents reportedly visited his home last night, writes former ZANU PF national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere.

On Wednesday, the secret service in Zimbabwe instructed the country’s immigration authorities to deny Mathibela exit from Zimbabwe.

Mathibela is a prominent figure within Zimbabwe’s liberation war veterans’ community, serving as a faction leader of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA).

Mathibela is aligned with the pro-Vice President Chiwenga faction and has spoken out against Mnangagwa’s attempt to violate the constitution in order to serve a third term.

This political alignment reflects a broader shift among war veterans, who were instrumental in Mnangagwa’s rise to power in 2017 but have since transferred their support to Chiwenga, a retired army general who was pivotal in the 2017 coup that ousted former President Robert Mugabe.