adminVaraidzo Mbende
Midlands Reporter
Awareness campaigns on the National Heroes Act have been started by the Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs, with a view to informing stakeholders on benefits due to them.
This follows the recent pronouncement by President Mnangagwa during Heroes Day commemorations that the majority of war veterans were not aware of some of their benefits.
On Monday, Commissioner of Heroes Dependants Assistance under the Ministry of the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle, Ms Gladys Moyo, told an awareness campaign attended by war veterans, their widows, widowers and children in Gweru that they wanted to educate heroes’ dependants on their benefits and entitlements.
“We have noted that the majority of these cadres were not aware of these benefits and we will be going out in all provinces and districts to conscientise them of their rights under statutory benefits and inheritance law to promote their economic and social empowerment,” she said.
Comm Moyo said the ministry had also engaged different stakeholders under the programme, including relevant ministries to facilitate the educational campaigns on inheritance matters.
“We are also going to create a register and a database for all heroes’ dependants as prescribed in the Act, that is why we have also engaged the Ministry of Justice and Legal Parliamentary Affairs through the Master of the High Court, responsible for inheritance matters,” he said.
A Heroes’ Dependency Board, which will monitor the welfare of the heroes’ dependants, has been set up to ensure no one is left behind.
“We are being guided by the President’s call that no one should be left behind and the board will be monitoring all the processes and due diligence,” she said.
Speaking during the Heroes Day commemoration in Harare recently, President Mnangagwa said widows, orphans and other heroes’ dependants, have their benefits and should be accorded equal opportunities for social and economic empowerment such as healthcare and education.
The Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs, added the President, is mandated to expedite the operationalisation of the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act, the National Heroes Act and the War Victims Compensation Act.
Online Reporter