Online Reporter
Nyore Madzianike in MASVINGO
GOVERNMENT efforts to address the economic and welfare needs of liberation war veterans have gone a notch up after former fighters living in Masvingo received farming equipment to boost production at Chisase Farm through the Veterans Investment Holding Company.
Speaking after touring the farm yesterday, Vice President Dr Kembo Mohadi emphasised the need to manage and protect the equipment from both humans and animals, saying it was life-changing and a sustainable income-generating vehicle.
The 210-hectare piece of land had been lying idle for nearly 15 years and is expected to benefit liberation war fighters, youths and the community at large.
VIHC is a State company established to create structured, revenue-generating projects that directly benefit veterans of the struggle and their dependants.
The company’s mandate is to generate sustainable revenue for the Veterans Fund and ensure economic empowerment for those who sacrificed for the country’s independence.
The development comes as the Government continues to intensify efforts to transform the welfare of war veterans and scale up investments across key economic sectors to generate sustainable revenue for the Veterans Fund.
The establishment of VIHC comes as a direct response to long-held concerns that the country’s liberation war heroes had been neglected, with the Second Republic now moving decisively to ensure that those who fought for the country’s freedom enjoy dignity, security and meaningful opportunities in their twilight years.
Said the VP: “Well, our motto or philosophy is that of leaving no one and no place behind.
“And the war veterans are part of those people who should not be left behind, including yourself, should not be left behind.
“But what I can say about this project is that it’s a project that can be quite viable in the sense that the water, the source of water, is about 1,2 kilometres from here to get to the centre pivot here, which is very good. So we want to see this utilised to its maximum by the war veterans themselves.”
VP Mohadi urged the community around the farm to respect and support those earmarked to benefit from the farm.
He asked them to refrain from disturbing their farming activities, as they would have been mandated by the Government to occupy and farm the pieces of land.
The VP also urged those occupying the land to preserve it for future generations.
“In fact, there are about three stakeholders, I think. There are the war veterans, there is the youth, and the community.
“So, we want to see coordination among the three in actually running this project. It’s quite a sizable chunk of land. 210ha is not a small piece of land, but it needs to be managed properly. “We need to manage it properly, and it needs to be protected as well from both wildlife and stray animals from destroying the crops that have been grown here. So that’s what we are looking at,” he said.
VP Mohadi indicated that he was impressed to note that freedom fighters were now being involved in lucrative projects.
“But I am very much impressed by the fact that at least war veterans are getting involved in a meaningful project, something that can actually change their lives, something that can contribute to the war veterans fund, which will then cascade down in financing other projects.
“Let this be a pilot project and let everyone of the like come and see what veterans can do,” he said.
Minister of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs Monica Mavhunga, Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira, Masvingo South Member of Parliament Tanatsiwa Mukomberi, VIHC group chief executive Mr Cougan Matanhire and ZANU PF officials accompanied the Vice President during the visit.
Earlier, the Vice President had taken a familiarisation tour of Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa Children’s Home in Chiredzi.
