CIO Puts War Veterans Leader on Lockdown
War veterans’ leader Andreas Ethan Mathibela has been officially placed under surveillance and barred from leaving the country, as government paranoia over dissent reaches fever pitch.
In a classified letter dated March 19, 2025, the President’s Department, through its intelligence arm—the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO)—flagged Mathibela as a “person of security interest.”
The directive, addressed to immigration officers at Plumtree, Maitengwe, and Mphoengs border posts, orders officials to block his exit and immediately notify intelligence authorities if he attempts to leave.
“Should the same present themselves at Plumtree, Maitengwe or Mphoengs Border Posts, may your office deny him exit and inform the President’s Department,” reads the communication signed by a senior CIO officer.
Mathibela, who chairs the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association, has emerged as a fierce critic of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration, openly condemning rampant corruption, nepotism, and what he describes as authoritarian leadership.
He is one of the chief architects behind a series of mass protests slated for Thursday, aimed at demanding accountability and transparency from Mnangagwa’s government.
However, police have refused to grant permission for the demonstrations, escalating tensions between the state and the increasingly restless war veterans’ faction.
This latest move to effectively ground Mathibela highlights the growing anxiety within government corridors, particularly as internal fissures within Zanu PF widen.
Analysts point to a deepening power struggle between Mnangagwa and his deputy, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, with war veterans now positioning themselves as pivotal players in the unfolding succession battle.
Mathibela is not alone in facing state repression.
Fellow war veteran and Mnangagwa opponent Blessed Runesu Geza, popularly known as Bombshell, reportedly went into hiding last month after a string of explosive press conferences calling for Mnangagwa’s resignation.
Political observers warn that the government’s heavy-handed tactics may further inflame public dissent and fracture the party’s liberation war-era support base.
As the protests loom, all eyes are on the Mnangagwa administration’s next move—and whether a growing chorus of discontent within the ruling party will reshape Zimbabwe’s political landscape.
