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Columbus Mabika Herald Reporter
Government will continuously look into the welfare of war veterans, collaborators and detainees as part of uplifting their lives, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has said.
Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri, a decorated veteran of the liberation struggle herself, said ex-combatants remained vital in driving the country in its quest to achieve set objectives such as Vision 2030 of an upper middle income society.
Speaking during a workshop to unpack the War Victims Compensation Act yesterday, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said Government continued to treasure the contribution of freedom fighters, hence the desire to support them.
“It is against the background of this host of challenges that I have urgently called for this important consultative workshop involving all relevant stakeholders to discuss how best these challenges can be addressed. This is in line with the development mantra, ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo’,” she said.
“We have shared responsibility in building this great country brick upon brick stone upon stone. Together we can restore the dignity of our war victims.
“I have noted with concern the challenges that you encounter in the process of accessing your statutory benefits, which you so rightly deserve as compensation to injuries incurred whilst on national duty. You boldly supported the liberation struggle right through to the bitter end and thus, your concerns are at the centre of the Second Republic.”
Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said consultations on the welfare of war veterans were also guided by the War Victims Compensation Act, which came into effect on November 14, 1980.
She said the Act was mooted after the black majority Government realised that the former colonial settlers provided for their own injured kith and kin, under the so called “Victims of Terrorism” (Compensation) Act of 1974, and deliberately excluded black people through inclusion of the text “victims of acts of terrorism”.
As a result, both the civilians and ex-combatants were not meant to be beneficiaries of that colonial piece of legislation despite the fact that the Rhodesian settler soldiers killed and maimed black majority.
Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said as part of the interventions, Government was proposing an amendment of War Victims Compensation Act [Chapter 11:16] to include modalities for establishing a board to look into their welfare.
Speaking during the same workshop, director disability in the Ministry of Social Welfare, Dr Christine Peta, said her ministry will continue to look into upliftment of veterans of the struggle through various sustaining projects.
Online Reporter