War Victims Association founding member breaks awa...

War Victims Association founding member breaks away from association, forms new group

**Vongai Mutokoti, left, addresses a press conference in Harare on friday**

Oscar J Jeke

ZIM NOW REPORTER

Zimbabwe War Victims Association founding chairperson, Vongayi Mutokoti on Friday launched a break-away grouping, War Victims and Survivors Association of Zimbabwe, amid disagreements within the former association over steering off of founding values and involvement of war veterans.

The formation of WVSAZ comes after alleged disagreements between the founding members of the ZWVA, with Mutokoti citing that her colleagues did not agree with the notion of aligning the association with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030 and National Development Strategy 1.

In a statement seen by Zim Now, Mutokoti claimed that the newly-formed WVSAZ aligns itself with the vision of the President while also catering for victims of the liberation war.

“With this position, and the stance taken by some members of the ZWVA, I do not wish to be in a position where I am compelled to depart from the founding values of the liberation struggle, the vision of the New Dispensation (Vision 2030) and that of His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

“It is therefore with a profound sense of duty and commitment to the welfare of the civilian victims of the Zimbabwe Liberation struggle that I announce the formation of a new association: the War Victims and Survivors’ Association of Zimbabwe,” Mutokoti said.

She said she also wants to separate victims of war with war veterans as the latter already has a ministry that caters and supports their needs and views.

“With current leadership of the association as it is, I have discovered an intention to morph the association to also cater for the benefits of war veterans as well. I believe it will place too much pressure on the government and discuss if one ministry is already catering for war veterans and the association takes on the same job,” Mutokoti added.