Joseph Madzimure-Zimpapers Politics Hub
GOVERNMENT is developing a comprehensive policy to consolidate interventions and strengthen welfare support for liberation war veterans, alongside a review of legislation governing their benefits and protection.
The proposed framework seeks to coordinate the national response to the welfare and socio-economic needs of veterans, ensuring their concerns are mainstreamed across all State institutions.
Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs Minister, Senator Monica Mavunga, announced the initiative during an interface with war veterans in Harare yesterday.
She said the policy formulation process is underway and will involve extensive consultations with veterans and other stakeholders to harmonise various programmes implemented over the years.
“The policy development process is currently underway. Veterans of the Liberation Struggle and other relevant stakeholders will be consulted to ensure that their experiences, needs, aspirations and priorities inform its content,” Senator Mavunga said.
She added that the policy will provide a coherent framework to support the attainment of Vision 2030.
Concurrently, the Government is pursuing amendments to the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act, the National Heroes Act and the War Victims Compensation Act to ensure the legal framework remains responsive to emerging challenges.
The minister noted that the State is strengthening healthcare and social protection interventions as the veteran population ages and faces increasing chronic and age-related medical conditions.
“Welfare remains one of the ministry’s most important responsibilities. Our veterans are ageing and face increasing chronic and age-related medical conditions,” she said.
Senator Mavunga said progress has been made in clearing outstanding medical obligations and improving access to assistance for veterans and their eligible dependants, including upward reviews of medical assistance thresholds administered through provincial structures.
However, veterans at the meeting raised concerns over access to healthcare, delayed tuition fee payments for their children and the vulnerability of families following the death of a veteran.
The Harare provincial chairman of the Zimbabwe National War Veterans League, Mr John Guta, described healthcare as their most pressing challenge and called for dedicated facilities at medical institutions.
“Healthcare remains one of the most urgent concerns affecting the veterans’ community. We need special facilities earmarked for us at various health institutions,” Mr Guta said.
He also raised concerns over the repossession of farms allocated to war veterans upon their death, leaving surviving family members vulnerable.
In response, Senator Mavunga reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to improving the accessibility and sustainability of support.
She said the ministry is empowering provincial and district structures to receive, process and facilitate applications for assistance, reducing bureaucratic delays and unnecessary referrals to head office.
