Mnangagwa-led administration has once again come under scrutiny for its treatment of war veterans, following a recent handover of government vehicles to officials from the Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs. Critics argue that the move, widely interpreted as a form of political bribery, continues a decades-long pattern in which Zanu PF leverages liberation war veterans to intimidate rural communities and consolidate power during elections.
On Thursday, the government handed over a fleet of 29 utility vehicles to District Field Officers under the Ministry of Veterans Affairs. The vehicles, which were commissioned by President Mnangagwa in June, were presented as part of initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of war veterans.
Matobo District field officer Caleb Ndlovu described the gesture as a meaningful recognition of service, saying he was “so excited” by the handover. Similarly, Mberengwa District field officer Arnold Chiwira noted that the vehicles would greatly facilitate travel to reach fellow veterans and assist them with various administrative and welfare-related matters.
Veterans Affairs Minister Senator Monica Mavhunga framed the handover as a milestone in the ministry’s mission. “These vehicles will improve welfare services, enable more effective project monitoring, facilitate hospital visits, and allow us to verify school attendance for dependants of war veterans,” she said. “Our presence in communities will now be more visible and tangible.”
Despite the welfare-focused rhetoric, political analysts caution that the move fits a familiar pattern of Zanu PF using war veterans to secure electoral dominance. Since the early 2000s, the ruling party has relied heavily on liberation war veterans to act as enforcers and intimidators, particularly in rural constituencies.
These recognition packages — ranging from vehicles and cash to land allocations and farming inputs — have long been tied to expectations of political loyalty. Veterans receiving such gifts are often called upon to mobilise support for Mnangagwa’s Zanu PF, discourage opposition activity, and, in some cases, engage in coercive tactics against voters who might not align with the party.
During the violent 2000 parliamentary elections and the 2008 presidential run-off, war veterans were reportedly involved in campaigns of terror that saw villagers assaulted, opposition supporters abducted, and threats of eviction issued to communities that refused to vote for the ruling party. Observers have repeatedly noted that war veterans often acted as the operational arm of the state, implementing voter intimidation while law enforcement and other state institutions largely turned a blind eye.
Mnangagwa Faces Criticism Over Latest War Veterans Vehicle Handover
Critics of the latest handover argue that it is less about genuine recognition of liberation struggle sacrifices and more about shoring up political loyalty amid internal Zanu PF factionalism and dwindling public support for Mnangagwa.
“The timing of these gifts is no coincidence,” said one political analyst. “With intra-party tensions rising and the government facing mounting criticism over economic challenges, these vehicle handovers are a calculated attempt to keep war veterans aligned with the ruling party.”
For villagers across Matabeleland and Midlands provinces, the sight of war veterans arriving in government-funded vehicles evokes unease as much as it signals official support. To many, it serves as a reminder of the intimidation campaigns that have characterised election seasons for the past two decades.
“While Mnangagwa presents this as welfare support, what people in the rural areas actually see is a display of power,” said a local community leader who spoke on condition of anonymity. “These vehicles are not just for service delivery—they are symbols of authority and, in some ways, fear.”
While Mnangagwa maintains that the handover is purely about improving veterans’ welfare, the debate underscores a broader tension in Zimbabwean politics: the difficulty of separating genuine social support from political manoeuvring.
Observers argue that for the state to be taken seriously on matters of veterans’ welfare, there needs to be transparency in how benefits are distributed and safeguards to prevent the exploitation of these programmes for political purposes. Without such measures, the perception that war veterans are being used as tools for political gain will persist.
The latest handover of vehicles to war veterans is emblematic of a long-standing practice in Zimbabwean politics: rewarding liberation war fighters while simultaneously mobilising them as instruments of political control. As Mnangagwa’s administration continues to navigate internal party disputes and waning public support, such gestures are likely to remain part of the political landscape, blending welfare with coercion and reinforcing the complex legacy of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle.
For many rural communities, the presence of war veterans in government-funded vehicles is both a symbol of recognition and a reminder of the fear that has shadowed elections for over two decades. The challenge, analysts say, lies in ensuring that future initiatives genuinely serve welfare objectives rather than political agendas.
Source- ZimEye
