News / National
Zipra war vets bemoan shortage of registration forms
06 Jul 2021 at 10:39hrs | Views
THE Zipra War Veterans Association has expressed concern over lack of registration forms in the Matabeleland region to enable former freedom fighters to register during the ongoing vetting exercise.
Government advised the for-mer freedom fighters to register three weeks ago to enable them to get stipends for their role in liberating the country.
Matabeleland war veterans said thousands of them were still unregistered due to short-age of forms and yet the exercise, which was launched on June 17, will end on July 17.
The Zipra War Veterans Association yesterday accused the ruling Zanu-PF party of manipulating the process to ensure that bona fide Zipra freedom fighters are left out again.
Zipra War Veterans Association secretary-general Petros Sibanda told NewsDay that forms for the non-combatant cadres were yet to be delivered in parts of Matabeleland areas such as Kezi, Plumtree, Gwanda and Victoria Falls.
"There are some logistical challenges in the vetting exercise and this includes shortage of forms such as those for the non-combatants, which have not been delivered in some registration centres in Matabeleland since the programme started three weeks ago, but the deadline is fast approaching," he said.
"Our main worry is that most of our cadres will be left out. We urge government to work closely with us because we already have our own records and we are targeting to register about 20 000 of our members."
Sibanda said there was no clarity of how widows, widowers and their dependants were going to be treated, including those in hospitals, prisons, and in the diaspora.
"We had suggested that those in the diaspora should work with embassies in their respective countries where they are now based," he said.
Chief director for war veterans in the Defence ministry, Retired General Everisto Dziwema, said he could not immediately comment as he was in a meeting.
"You should put your questions in writing so that I can give you a proper response,'' he said.
He still had not responded to the questions at the time of going to print last night.
Government advised the for-mer freedom fighters to register three weeks ago to enable them to get stipends for their role in liberating the country.
Matabeleland war veterans said thousands of them were still unregistered due to short-age of forms and yet the exercise, which was launched on June 17, will end on July 17.
The Zipra War Veterans Association yesterday accused the ruling Zanu-PF party of manipulating the process to ensure that bona fide Zipra freedom fighters are left out again.
Zipra War Veterans Association secretary-general Petros Sibanda told NewsDay that forms for the non-combatant cadres were yet to be delivered in parts of Matabeleland areas such as Kezi, Plumtree, Gwanda and Victoria Falls.
"There are some logistical challenges in the vetting exercise and this includes shortage of forms such as those for the non-combatants, which have not been delivered in some registration centres in Matabeleland since the programme started three weeks ago, but the deadline is fast approaching," he said.
Sibanda said there was no clarity of how widows, widowers and their dependants were going to be treated, including those in hospitals, prisons, and in the diaspora.
"We had suggested that those in the diaspora should work with embassies in their respective countries where they are now based," he said.
Chief director for war veterans in the Defence ministry, Retired General Everisto Dziwema, said he could not immediately comment as he was in a meeting.
"You should put your questions in writing so that I can give you a proper response,'' he said.
He still had not responded to the questions at the time of going to print last night.
Source - newsday
