News / National
Mugabe's govt fails to pay war vets
10 May 2015 at 10:53hrs | Views
GOVERNMENT has in the past two school terms failed to remit school fees for children of the country's former liberation war fighters, The Standard reported.
Some of the former guerrilla fighters who fought in the bush war that brought majority rule 35 years ago said they have been plunged into debt because treasury has failed not only to provide for the school fees for their children, but also their monthly stipends.
"Government has not paid schools fees for our children since third term of last year and we are in the second term of 2015. It is difficult for some of us who are not employed and that is the majority of the comrades," said one war veteran on condition of anonymity.
Minister responsible for war veterans, Christopher Mutsvangwa, who doubles as the national chairman of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association, confirmed his constituents were deep in debt.
"We understand there has been a deliberate plot to push comrades into indebtedness through the administration or maladministration of their pensions and allowances," Mutsvangwa said.
Mutsvangwa revealed that they are also negotiating with the Ministry of Finance to make sure the allowances are paid.
"It is true, government has not been able to pay and that has made the situation worse. Now that I have a secretariat at the ministry, we will be able to sit down with bureaucrats at Treasury to find a way forward."
Some of the former guerrilla fighters who fought in the bush war that brought majority rule 35 years ago said they have been plunged into debt because treasury has failed not only to provide for the school fees for their children, but also their monthly stipends.
"Government has not paid schools fees for our children since third term of last year and we are in the second term of 2015. It is difficult for some of us who are not employed and that is the majority of the comrades," said one war veteran on condition of anonymity.
Minister responsible for war veterans, Christopher Mutsvangwa, who doubles as the national chairman of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association, confirmed his constituents were deep in debt.
"We understand there has been a deliberate plot to push comrades into indebtedness through the administration or maladministration of their pensions and allowances," Mutsvangwa said.
Mutsvangwa revealed that they are also negotiating with the Ministry of Finance to make sure the allowances are paid.
"It is true, government has not been able to pay and that has made the situation worse. Now that I have a secretariat at the ministry, we will be able to sit down with bureaucrats at Treasury to find a way forward."
Source - standard
