MP cries over war vets' $175 monthly 'pittance'

A Zanu PF female MP broke down in tears yesterday during debate on the welfare of war veterans saying most former freedom fighters were struggling to take care of their young children from their meager salary $175 monthly stipends.

Annastancia Ndlovu who got into Parliament through female proportional representation become emotionally charged over the issue and briefly brought Parliament to a standstill as she struggled to overcome her emotions.

Acting Speaker Melody Dziva later said this was a very emotional topic and that is why the MP has been deeply moved.

MPs are advocating for an upward review of the stipend.

Government recently agreed to look into the welfare of war veterans after they demanded a hike in their pensions.

This comes 16 years after war veterans bullied the government into paying them billions of Zimbabwean dollars in gratuities, which sent the dollar crashing, and the economy on a downward spiral.

Patrick Chinamasa, the Finance minister, told Parliament during debate on the budget that government was going to set up a committee made up of war veterans, officials from ministry of Defence and Finance to confirm the correct number of surviving war veterans and their beneficiaries before looking into their welfare.

"I had a meeting with honourable (Zanu PF MP  for Buhera South) Joseph Chinotimba, on the issue of the welfare of war veterans, especially on the outstanding school fees of their children," Chinamasa said.

"The war veterans must know that they are in my heart and I will attend to their issue.

"I informed Chinotimba of my desire to help them  and we have agreed  to set up a team from officials from my ministry, Defence and the war veterans so that they can verify their numbers and we can move forward to help them despite the financial challenges we are facing."

The issue was raised by legislators in the Defence, Home Affairs and Security Services parliamentary portfolio committee chaired by Clifford Sibanda, the Zanu-PF MP for Bubi, during post-budget consultations.

Sibanda had a torrid time trying to mollify agitated legislators led by Chinotimba, who argued that government has been neglecting their welfare for a long time.

Chinotimba urged Zanu-PF MPs to support his motion because they were also war veterans.

"There are war veterans ministries in South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique and Angola and why not here in Zimbabwe?" queried Chinotimba.

"We need our own ministry led by people who understand what we went through in the war, and if I show that person injuries and scar marks on my legs that I incurred in the war, he will understand it, not someone who has not fought the war.

"When I am talking about the war veterans issue I am not speaking as a legislator, but as a war veteran.

We have young children who are still going to school and their school fees and hospital fees needs to be paid but there is no money that we are getting from government to support us."

He continued: "The monthly upkeep, as a pension we are getting is too little and we have been crying out for a long time that we need government to help us but nothing has been happening.

"Our situation was much better in the 1990s when we had a ministry led by the late Witness Mangwende, but now it has changed as we are just a department in the ministry of Defence and no one is looking after us anymore."