Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
ZANU-PF Secretary for War Veterans Affairs, Cde Douglas Mahiya, has urged party members to defend the gains of the liberation struggle and work closely with the Government.
Speaking during a war veterans and heroes’ dependants and war victims meeting in Gwanda yesterday, Cde Mahiya reiterated the war veterans’ commitment to defending the revolution and interests of the ruling party and its leadership. He said the war veterans’ role is to educate people who speak against the party and its leadership.
War veterans are also being encouraged to use the War Veterans Family Wealth Trust to economically empower themselves and their families, while the new Department of War Veterans and Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs attend to their welfare.
The trust ensures that families of war veterans are taken care of even when they have passed away. It further supports various projects and business ventures by war veterans.
“We are working on operationalising the War Veterans League, so that it operates smoothly and serves its purpose. The War Veterans League’s main task is to preserve and defend the interests of the revolutionary party and its leadership,” said Cde Mahiya.
“When I’m talking about the leadership of the party, I mean President Emmerson Mnangagwa. If we come across someone speaking ill of the revolutionary party and the leadership, it’s our duty to educate such a person and lead them to the right path.
“Let’s assume our role as the Veterans League to protect the interests of the party and its leadership. As war veterans, we don’t oppose, but we complement the Government.”
Cde Mahiya urged the former freedom fighters to work towards fulfilling their mandate and support the Government while their welfare issues are being attended to and prioritised. He said the Government has deliberately created the Department of War Veterans and a specific ministry to spearhead programmes that cater for the welfare of war veterans.
Cde Mahiya said these structures will not leave out the welfare of other organs that played a part in the liberation of the country such as detainees, non-combatant cadres and even widows and children of veterans of the liberation struggle.
He encouraged war veterans in various districts to establish their own trusts, which will develop the main trust.
“Without the leadership, which the country and Zanu-PF party have today as war veterans, we and ultimately the entire nation would be doomed.
“As we speak, we have engaged the Government on the issue of war veterans’ allowances, which need to be reviewed and we hope to get a positive response. Let’s wait patiently on our leadership and not hasten to make wrong decisions, which will cost us in future.
He also said the Government was in the process of implementing the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act.
“We need a statutory instrument that will operationalise 20 percent quota system for veterans of the liberation struggle, to ensure that all Government ministries comply. War veterans have to get houses, land, mines and jobs among other benefits,” he said.
Cde Mahiya said war veterans are the backbone of the party and urged members not to lose focus of the critical role they have to play. Speaking during the same meeting, Politburo member Cde Abedinico Ncube said war veterans and war collaborators still have a huge role to play in defending the country even today.
He said engagement with various Government departments was key in ensuring that war veterans get the recognition due to them.
Online Reporter