By Political Reporter- The War Veterans League Wednesday held a closed-door meeting with President Mnangagwa to discuss the party’s succession issue.

Mnangagwa is serving his 2nd and final term in both the party and the government and is supposed to hand over power to his deputy, Constantino Chiwenga.

However, Mnangagwa seems to be refusing to step down, as evidenced by his 2030 campaign, which his close associates are fronting.

Mnangagwa’s meeting with the war vets was the first time since the establishment of the wing two years ago.

Sources within those who attended the meeting say the War Vets wanted to know Mnangagwa’s succession plan.

” It was a frank meeting, and we asked the President to state to us what his plans are on who will succeed him, although we clearly know that the VP is the second in-command and should automatically take-over. Our worry is that the President wants to behave the Mugabe way and that is what we have told him,” said one of the former liberation fighters we can not name because he will be victimised.

The war veterans, once an affiliate of the party, are now a fully-fledged wing of Zanu PF.

Zanu PF Secretary for War Veterans, Cde Douglas Mahiya, Wednesday told reporters, “This one is the first one ever since the formation of the League in 2022.”

War veterans were instrumental in the coup that ousted former President Robert Mugabe in November 2017. 

The former liberation war fighters mobilised Zimbabweans, misleading them into believing that Mugabe was a stumbling block to the country’s democracy and prosperity. 

They also deceived the then main opposition, MDC-T, promising a unity government after Mugabe’s removal, only to abandon them after using them to mobilise against the former leader.

The war vets then placed Mnangagwa in Mugabe’s position and made Chiwenga the deputy, agreeing that Mnangagwa would step down for Chiwenga in 2028. 

However, Mnangagwa’s close associates have started campaigning for his indefinite rule, closing the doors for Chiwenga.