CHINHOYI — Former liberation war fighters have said the government was still failing to cater for their welfare 34 years after the country got independence. Zimbabwe celebrated 34 years of independence on Friday.
BY NUNURAI JENA OWN CORRESPONDENT
The war veterans at the weekend said they were wallowing in poverty despite sacrificing their lives to attain majority rule for the country.
They said most of those enjoying the “fruits of independence” hardly contributed to the fight for independence.
Bernard Mudzimu, whose Chimurenga name was Abasha, said that the “milk and honey” they were promised as they fought the war of liberation remained pie in the sky for him and most of his colleagues.
Mudzimu, who operated in the Hurungwe area, said the monthly payment of $300 was little to cater for his day-to-day needs.
“The money that I get, which is only $300, is too little to cater for my family needs. Life is difficult,” Mudzimu said.
Another war veteran, Bigboy Mushipe, lauded the land reform programme, but said more needed to be done to support new farmers.
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Mushipe said top politicians and ministers benefited from the farm mechanisation programme through the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, while the majority were denied access to the implements.
“Politicians who were never near the front are the ones benefiting more than genuine fighters . . . they got huge farms and farming equipment and they have collateral to get loans from the banks,” Mushipe said.
The ex-combatants said they were not happy that their children were not receiving educational grants. They claimed they were finding it difficult to pay for secondary and university education for their children.
In November 1997, President Robert Mugabe’s government paid off Z$50 000 plus monthly pensions of $2 000 each to the more than 50 000 war veterans, triggering the crash of the Zimbabwe dollar on the stock exchange.
