Online Reporter
Joseph Madzimure
Zimpapers Politics Hub
ALL roads lead to the City Sports Centre in Harare today where President Mnangagwa will interface with war veterans, giving them mining equipment and farming implements as part of an empowerment drive.
Presidential Adviser Dr Paul Tungwarara yesterday said: “The preparations have been meticulous and we are expecting war veterans from all the provinces. We believe that this is a historic gathering that is coming at a crucial time when the empowerment of war veterans has taken centre stage.
“The outcomes from this meeting will be far reaching and will further boost the efforts that we have undertaken so far across all the provinces to empower war veterans and improve their wellbeing.”
In an interview yesterday, ZANU PF Secretary for War Veterans, Ex-Political Prisoners, Detainees and Restrictees Cde Douglas Mahiya said the meeting will start at 10am with about 5 000 war veterans expected.
He said adequate transport arrangements had been made to ensure an overwhelming attendance.
“We have allocated 70 buses across the country to ferry ex-combatants. Each province was allocated seven buses. We have requested the President to meet us so we can express our gratitude for his initiatives, particularly the empowerment programmes,” said Cde Mahiya
“We have been holding provincial interfaces with war veterans throughout the country for an extended period informing them about the President’s empowerment initiatives designed to support and uplift our veterans,” he said.
President Mnangagwa has introduced a revolving fund for war veterans, allocating an initial $150 000 to each province.
This, according to Cde Mahiya, was just the beginning as the fund was expected to grow to approximately $1 million per province.
This will enable war veterans to establish income-generating projects to meet their daily household needs.
“So far we have US$150 000 for each province. We are expecting even more from the President as we meet him, but we don’t know how much will be made available,” he said.
All war veterans are encouraged to participate and engage in discussions about their well-being.
President Mnangagwa as the patron of the war veterans will listen to them and subsequently address the gathering.
The meeting will discuss the ex-combatants’ welfare and empowerment projects, among other key matters.
“We are expecting at least 4 500 to 5, 000 war veterans that are going to come there. President Mnangagwa belongs to the constituency,” said Cde Mahiya.
He highlighted the importance of regular meetings between the ex-combatants and the President.
In addition to the revolving fund, war veterans have benefited from housing, solar-powered boreholes and bicycle schemes to improve their welfare.
Cde Mahiya said it is crucial for war veterans to meet the President to provide feedback and discuss potential increases in loan amounts under the revolving fund.
So far, up to 3 000 war veterans have received their share of the revolving fund. He said there is need to ensure school fees for children of war veterans are paid on time.
