Zimbabwe war veterans fume over delayed compensation

Veterans of the liberation struggle from the 1970s, who successfully completed a recent vetting process, are expressing frustration over the government's delay in compensating them for their wartime contributions.

An anonymous war veteran involved in the vetting process voiced their discontent to NewsDay, emphasizing that the government should have initiated compensation payments to those who passed the vetting process promptly.

Deputy Minister of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle, Monica Mavhunga, stated that the vetting process needs to continue, as around 100,000 war collaborators and detainees were excluded from the previous vetting exercise. The expectation is that compensation funds will be included in the 2024 national budget.

However, some veterans argue that the delay in compensating those who have already been vetted is unfair, as they played an ongoing role during the conflict, rather than a single isolated event. They urge the government to expedite the compensation process for those already vetted.

Zanu-PF politburo member Headman Moyo expressed support for the idea of prioritizing the clearing of those who have already been vetted, as he believes that shifting the goalposts on this issue negatively impacts elections.

Challenge Phiri, a former Zanu-PF parliamentary candidate, emphasized the need for the responsible committee to address the backlog in the vetting process.

Albert Nguluvhe, Chairperson of the Defence, Home Affairs, Veterans of the Liberation Struggle, and Security Parliamentary Portfolio Committee, declined to comment on the matter.

War collaborators and detainees did not receive the ZWL$50,000 gratuity provided to war veterans in 1997. The government reports that approximately 150,000 war collaborators and ex-detainees have undergone vetting and are awaiting compensation.