adminThis emerged when officials from the Ministry of Defence appeared before the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs yesterday.
The War Veterans Act was enacted in 1997 to cater for the welfare of veterans who participated in the war of liberation and their dependants.
Giving his evidence Retired Major General Richard Ruwodo the director responsible for war veterans in the Ministry of Defence said the Act was designed to cater for war veterans that were physically vetted in 1997. He said this while responding to a question by Silobela representative Mr Anadi Silulu (MDC-T) on the status of such veterans like the late Zanla Commander Cde Josiah Tongogara.
“They are catered for elsewhere through the Department of Social Welfare and not through our Act. The wife (of the late Cde Tongogara) is benefiting but not through this Act, he was not there when they (war veterans) were vetted,” he said.
Retired Major General Ruwodo said the law was clear on who benefits and said it was the responsibility of Parliament that enacted the law.
According to the War Veterans Act, the freedom fighters are entitled to gratuity, settlement benefits, loans, and education benefits, medical and funeral benefits among others.
Turning to other issues the Defence Permanent Mr Martin Rushwaya said they had not received any funding for war veterans’ projects as required by law since the Act was passed in 1997.
“We have been submitting bids to Treasury for projects under the War Veterans Act but we have not been getting any responses to the projects submitted.
“Since 1997 up to 2012 we have not received any budgetary support for projects. We have a department director for projects but if we do not have budgetary support then his work is compromised,” he said.
Mr Rushwaya said they had viable projects that had been submitted by their members but were gathering dust due to the non-availability of funds.
The Deputy Director for Administration in the ministry, Brigadier General Collin Moyo, said it was important that the issue of war veterans’ welfare be depoliticised so that they get their benefits.
“This committee should help that the issue of war veterans is not politicised, war veterans are people who liberated this country so do not involve them into politics. We will have some political parties saying these people belong to us and some say these belong to us,” he said.
Added Brig-Gen Moyo: “You should assist us to ensure the issue of war veterans . . . should be simply to help people who participated in the war as given by the Act.”
The war veterans have demonstrated against Finance Minister Tendai Biti on a number of occasions against the late disbursement of their benefits.
Meanwhile the war veterans’ board mandated with spearheading projects for the former freedom fighters has not been in place since 2008.
The previous board included the late Generals, Solomon Mujuru and Vitalis Zvinavashe, Major Alex Mudavanhu, Lt Colonel Sihle Moyo, Dr Dumiso Dabengwa and Brigadier General Charles Tarumbwa.
Online Reporter