War vets mop up vetting set for this month

The government is set to resume the mop-up vetting of war collaborators and non-combatants this month, with plans to publish the names of those who successfully pass the vetting, paving the way for them to receive their entitled benefits.

This follow-up exercise comes after the 2022 vetting, which saw over 110,000 war collaborators and more than 10,000 non-combatant cadres provisionally vetted. Responding to questions from members of the National Assembly on Wednesday, the Minister of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle, Senator Monica Mavunga, stated that the new round of vetting aims to cover over 90,000 individuals who missed the 2022 vetting due to financial limitations.

"After the passage of the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act, Chapter 17:12, it became necessary to verify the credentials of war collaborators and non-combatant cadres. The 2022 vetting exercise resulted in 110,635 war collaborators and 10,022 non-combatant cadres being provisionally vetted. However, due to limited resources, 93,363 individuals were left unvetted," said Senator Mavunga. "This September, we will resume the mop-up vetting, and following that, we will publish the names of those vetted both last year and this month."

She explained that once the names are gazetted, those successfully vetted will be eligible to receive their statutory benefits. "The Act stipulates that once someone passes the vetting process, they are entitled to their benefits. Veterans of the liberation struggle include four categories: veterans, ex-detainees, non-combatant cadres, and war collaborators, all of whom will be entitled to their benefits," added Mavunga.

She also addressed concerns about individuals who were vetted but not yet confirmed, noting that some have passed away or left the country. However, the Ministry is working on ways to assist their beneficiaries.