Mugabe calls for heroes fund

PATRON of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association, President Mugabe yesterday called for the establishment of a fund to assist liberation war heroes and their dependants and called on Zimbabweans to contribute towards the welfare of veterans of the liberation struggle.

Addressing thousands of people who gathered to commemorate Heroes Day at the National Heroes' Acre in Harare yesterday, President Mugabe said Government had created the Ministry of Welfare Services for War Veterans, War Collaborators, Former Political Detainees and Restrictees headed by Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube to look at the welfare of former liberation fighters.

"War veterans have their organisation and a ministry with Tshinga Dube as Minister. The budgetary allocation to the ministry is small, let us have a very wide programme so that we have a huge fund to complement efforts by [Finance Minister Patrick] Chinamasa whose allocations are small given competing priorities.

"But I know that our people have money to contribute.  They are willing to give. We urge them to continue doing so. We want to have that funding to help families of war veterans, the departed and the surviving ones. So we will see what we can do for the fund to be created," President Mugabe said.

He also urged Zimbabweans to research more on the liberation struggle.

"As a nation, we still need to do a lot more for and about our national heroes and war of liberation. We should feel challenged to research comprehensively, record and preserve more about our heroes but first and foremost, we have heroes' families. We need assistance, I want to appeal to you to get the message out that the President is seeking assistance.

"Orphans of departed war veterans and surviving ones are suffering.  Some are poor, they have somewhere to farm, but lack equipment and inputs," he said.

He appealed to Zimbabweans to be inspired by the heroics shown by the gallant sons and daughters who sacrificed their lives for the country's liberation.

"As we're today gathered at the national shrine, let's do it in a special way. I want to urge every one of us to pause and reflect and cause inspiration from the lives of the heroes who lie here," he said.

He added that the colonial regime was cruel and had racial policies that disadvantaged the black majority.

"All men were called boys, all women were called nannies. Because one was black, you can't walk in the First Street of Salisbury, you can't go into special shops like Barbour's. Then, blacks were served through a small window. You can't build in certain parts of Salisbury in Highlands, in Borrowdale.  They were whites-only suburbs," he said.

The generation of freedom fighters, President Mugabe said, was the best during a difficult period in the history of the country.

"On this solemn occasion of our nation, we gather to honour men and women who sacrificed and dedicated themselves in search of our freedom and independence.

"You will agree with me that our heroes were the best of our nation at a difficult period, the best of our nation who do deserve recognition in this special way by all of us.

"Taking all together, the heroes and heroines indeed deserve our respect in this very special way when we celebrate their givenness, sacrifice that is to serve their people, our people, indeed their readiness to face death for the liberation of our country," he said.

He said the commemoration of heroes was the least the nation could do to honour the people who sacrificed their lives for the country's independence.