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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
A new dawn is on the horizon for war collaborators, restrictees and detainees as Zanu-PF has sourced funding for their vetting – a development that will result in everyone who participated in the liberation struggle being placed under one umbrella- to access financial benefits.
Addressing veterans of the liberation struggle at Zanu-PF Winery Conference centre in Gweru yesterday, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA) secretary-general and Politburo member, Cde Victor Matemadanda, said veterans of the liberation struggle would be rewarded under the leadership of President Mnangagwa.
“We have been given a green light by the party to start the vetting process of war collaborators, restrictees and detainees. We received a letter from the Party to that effect and the party is going to fund the vetting process before the final names are taken to Government for other issues to do with financial benefits,” he said.
Cde Matemadanda said the vetting was going to start soon adding that war collaborators, ex-political detainees and restrictees who had quit the party for opposition parties like NPF would not be considered.
“This is a party programme and we are only vetting those in the party. We have fellow members who have joined NPF, those I am afraid will not be considered at all. If they want to be vetted they can approach their party but we all know the NPF life span ends on the eve of elections and it will be a pity if some of our members fail to qualify because they left the revolutionary party,” he said.
Cde Matemadanda said President Mnangagwa as a fellow war veteran understands the plight of those who participated in the struggle.
“President Mnangagwa has said that he is a fellow freedom fighter and wants the best for us. I remember when the former president was at helm, he refused to have the war collaborators, ex-political detainees and Restrictees vetted. But President Mnangagwa as an understanding leader has given consent,” he said.
“We are working with the Government in this vetting exercise because after that we will hand over the names of the people who should be eligible to get benefits for the role they played during the liberation war that brought about the independence we all enjoy.”
Cde Matemadanda said the Zanu-PF Government was also in consultation with some potential agricultural investors with the idea of empowering locals who have land but lacking resources to go into commercial farming.
He said the fact that the majority of Zimbabweans especially those who participated in the war were financially incapacitated to bring real value to the land was troubling the Government.
“So we are looking at a way of getting the real value from the land by engaging contract farmers for say five years. It is now up to us as land owners to come together, form a consortium in terms of irrigable land we have and contract these investors,” said Cde Matemadanda.
He said some people were going to say that the development initiatives by Zanu-PF on the people who participated during the war were meant to buy votes.
“However, if such initiatives bring food to the table then they are progressive as they address matters that affect the people and should be commended,” said Cde Matemadanda.
He said candidate number one for the party was President Mnangagwa followed by the MP and the councillor.
“We need many MPs in Parliament because their number affects the senatorial seats. So preach the gospel of voting for the ruling party during the harmonised elections because every vote counts for us,” said Cde Matemadanda.
Online Reporter