Zipra war collaborators feel betrayed by govt

Tensions are mounting among former Zipra liberation war collaborators who underwent vetting in 2021 to determine their eligibility for monthly payouts promised to them.

These unarmed combatants, who provided vital logistical support and assistance to the armed liberation fighters during the struggle against former Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith's regime, have not received any monthly payments since the vetting process concluded. This stands in stark contrast to their fellow comrades who have been receiving their stipends.

In separate interviews, non-combatant cadres expressed their growing frustration with the government's unfulfilled commitments. One anonymous dissatisfied non-combatant commented, "The situation is deeply concerning because we are now uncertain about what to do. The government made empty promises to secure our votes during the elections, and now that the election period has passed, they have gone silent. They are not keeping us informed, and this is highly disappointing."

Petros Sibanda, the secretary-general of the Zipra Veterans Association, confirmed that a significant number of non-combatant cadres had not yet received their payments. He stated, "The government has failed to fulfill the pledges it made. We had hoped that after the elections, there would be progress, but there has been no sign of it. People are still awaiting their rightful payments."

Sibanda added, "It's not only non-combatants who haven't received their entitlements; we also have numerous war collaborators and detainees who are still waiting for their dues."

Attempts to obtain a comment from the Ministry of War Veterans were unsuccessful.

It's worth noting that in 1997, war veterans were granted lump sum payments of ZWL$50,000 each after protesting against the absence of pension support, despite having previously received another lump sum shortly after the country's independence in 1980.