EX-COMBATANTS, who participated in Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle under the Zipra wing, have called on the government to implement recommendations made to Parliament in 2019, particularly the establishment of a war veterans’ quota in the National Assembly.
The veterans say repeated petitions over the past several years have gone unimplemented, leaving unresolved grievances over welfare, compensation, land allocation and historical recognition.
They argue that their contribution to the liberation struggle has been marginalised in both policy and national discourse, prompting renewed calls for direct representation in Parliament and stronger institutional support mechanisms.
The Zipra members have raised several concerns centred on the return of confiscated properties, improved welfare and formal recognition of their role in the liberation struggle.
Key issues include compensation for assets seized by the government in the 1980s, worsening economic hardships among veterans and perceptions of marginalisation in national narratives. Many former fighters are reportedly living in poverty. They claim they struggle to access benefits comparable to those received by Zanla veterans.
They also cite unresolved tensions dating back to the post-independence era, during which some Zipra members were arrested, tortured or sidelined.
Keep Reading
- Number of war vets needing limbs declines
- Number of war vets needing limbs declines
- War vet wings 'clipped': Analysts
- We'll defend Zanu PF rule: War vets
Speaking at a war veterans’ interface meeting in Bulawayo at the weekend, Zipra Veterans Association secretary-general Petros Sibanda told Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs minister Monica Mavhunga that earlier parliamentary recommendations had been acknowledged but were not implemented.
“We need a veterans’ quota in Parliament. The Constitution now provides quotas for women and youth, but war veterans were omitted despite their central role in nation-building,” he said.
Sibanda called for direct representation of veterans in legislative processes and transparency in the allocation of State resources.
He also raised concern over the distribution of land and mining claims, alleging politicisation of empowerment opportunities.
The war veterans’ leader urged the government to publish a verified database of beneficiaries and ensure fair access to national resources.
Sibanda proposed the establishment of a veterans welfare fund to cater for emergencies and bereavements, noting that some veterans’ families struggle to access basic assistance, including school fee for their children.
He also called for a quota system for veterans’ children in government training institutions and improved access to healthcare through a dedicated veterans’ health fund covering chronic and age-related illnesses.
Sibanda added that newly-vetted veterans should be issued identification documents to facilitate easy access to government services, including for those in the diaspora.
“We also need clarity on how the US$6 million allocated to veterans’ empowerment programmes is being utilised and how deserving beneficiaries can access it,” Sibanda said.
In response, Mavhunga said the government would consider their concerns, subject to resource availability.
“People were vetted in 2022 and a mop-up exercise was done in 2025. Some are still awaiting vetting, but that has not delayed allocation to those who qualify,” she said.
Mavhunga added that Treasury approval and gazetting of beneficiaries were still pending,
which had delayed implementation.
“The current pension levels remain low. This concern was also raised during the 2026 pre-budget seminar. The ministry continues to engage Treasury and relevant stakeholders to improve pension rates,” she said.
Interface meetings, Mavhunga added, remain an important feedback mechanism for planning and programme implementation.