News / National
War veterans demand $18,000 each from govt
04 Jan 2014 at 08:17hrs | Views
War Veterans have submitted a position paper to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Security demanding that Government pays them $18,000 each in addition to the Z$50,000 they received as gratuity in 1997.
Government, under the War Veterans Act, awarded Z$50,000 perks as gratuity for each liberation war fighter for their contribution in the liberation struggle.
War veterans' national secretary-general, Shadreck Makombe told Chronicle in an interview that the Zanu-PF victory in the recent election should pave way for the payment of the remaining money owed to them. He said war veterans were still keeping their fingers crossed over the issue.
"As freedom fighters, we were extremely happy that Zanu-PF won the elections resoundingly, ushering a new era in the country. We have tabled our grievances and highlighted that each freedom fighter was still being owed something like $18,000," Makombe said.
"There was discord in the then inclusive Government and we did not get anything. We have closed year 2013 on a sad note as the freedom fighters and we will keep our fingers crossed that the new Government will remember what is owed to us."
Makombe said a majority of former freedom fighters were still languishing in poverty and urged Government to look into the issue a matter of urgency.
"The issue of war veterans' welfare needs urgent attention. A majority of us are still languishing in poverty more than 30 years after we attained our independence," he said.
"If you look at the 2014 national budget, it did not address any issues to do with the war veterans and it seems we have long been forgotten. We are struggling to pay fees for our children and yet under the War Veterans Act, Government should pay fees for our children.
The only noble thing that Government should do is to release our money. We are hopeful that the revolutionary party will take that into consideration."
Makombe said Government should come up with a trust fund for war veterans who were affected both mentally and physically during the liberation struggle.
He applauded the land reform programme but said a majority of war veterans who benefited under the programme were incapacitated to fully utilise the land.
"A majority of war veterans do not have capital to buy inputs in the farms. If we can get that money which the Government owes us, we will soon be realising the gains of this noble land reform programme," said Makombe.
"We will make a follow up with the committee on defence and security to find out the Government position on our paper."
Repeated efforts to get a comment from the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Security, Clifford Sibanda, were fruitless as his mobile phone was not reachable.
Government, under the War Veterans Act, awarded Z$50,000 perks as gratuity for each liberation war fighter for their contribution in the liberation struggle.
War veterans' national secretary-general, Shadreck Makombe told Chronicle in an interview that the Zanu-PF victory in the recent election should pave way for the payment of the remaining money owed to them. He said war veterans were still keeping their fingers crossed over the issue.
"As freedom fighters, we were extremely happy that Zanu-PF won the elections resoundingly, ushering a new era in the country. We have tabled our grievances and highlighted that each freedom fighter was still being owed something like $18,000," Makombe said.
"There was discord in the then inclusive Government and we did not get anything. We have closed year 2013 on a sad note as the freedom fighters and we will keep our fingers crossed that the new Government will remember what is owed to us."
Makombe said a majority of former freedom fighters were still languishing in poverty and urged Government to look into the issue a matter of urgency.
"The issue of war veterans' welfare needs urgent attention. A majority of us are still languishing in poverty more than 30 years after we attained our independence," he said.
The only noble thing that Government should do is to release our money. We are hopeful that the revolutionary party will take that into consideration."
Makombe said Government should come up with a trust fund for war veterans who were affected both mentally and physically during the liberation struggle.
He applauded the land reform programme but said a majority of war veterans who benefited under the programme were incapacitated to fully utilise the land.
"A majority of war veterans do not have capital to buy inputs in the farms. If we can get that money which the Government owes us, we will soon be realising the gains of this noble land reform programme," said Makombe.
"We will make a follow up with the committee on defence and security to find out the Government position on our paper."
Repeated efforts to get a comment from the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Security, Clifford Sibanda, were fruitless as his mobile phone was not reachable.
Source - Zimpapers
