By Tendai Matunhu
Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans' Association (ZNLWVA) Secretary General, Victor Matemadanda has urged War Veterans to unite and support each other in their bid to occupy strategic positions in the ruling party.
Addressing war veterans at a recent meeting in Gwanda, Matebeleland South Province, Cde Matemadanda urged the War Veterans to take up strategic positions in ZANU PF party during the impending restructuring exercise, saying they were the stockholders of the revolutionary party.
Cde Matemadanda is also the Political Commissar of the ruling party and Deputy Minister of the Defence and War Veterans.
The Secretary General urged the war veterans to monitor and put pressure on ministers, Members of Parliament and councillors so that they implement developmental projects in their areas of jurisdiction. He said these office bearers’ performances have a bearing on President Emmerson Mnangagwa and ZANU PF’s chances of winning the 2023 elections.
Cde Matemadanda informed the War Veterans that a bill to cater for their welfare had been tabled before Parliament for debate. He said the bill would accelerate the vetting process of war veterans who were yet to benefit from the war veterans fund.
He also cautioned the war veterans against being hoodwinked by the opposition, warning that if any one of them defected, their benefits would be stopped forthwith.
Same appealed to Government to repeal laws which allow white miners to remain with their unutilised mining claims. He tasked ZNLWVA Provincial Chairperson, Section Ncube and Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs Minister, Abednico Ncube to mobilise war veterans, youths and women interested in mining to engage Blanket and Vumbachikwe mines so that they are apportioned some parts of the unutilised claims.
He castigated the white farmers and unscrupulous miners within the Province for under declaring gold outputs.
Cde Matemadanda expressed displeasure over the alleged corruption by some officials in the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development based in Gwanda whom he said were corruptly allocating claims. He therefore promised to engage minister of Mines and Mining Development, Winston Chitando over the issue.
The New Dispensation is committed to catering for the welfare of war veterans. Last month Government through the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement allocated war veterans 15 000 hectares of farmland in the country’s eight agricultural provinces.
The War Veterans Act and the Ex-Detainees Act are also being realigned with the Constitution, while a policy stipulating that 20% of every piece of land acquired by Government for redistribution is reserved for war veterans is being enforced.
