War Vets demand $18k ahead of April Indaba –NewZimbabwe 23/03/2016
RUSAPE: War Veterans here have said they want President Robert Mugabe to explain why his government was delaying in paying them their $18 000 compensation when they meet him next month.
According to defence minister, Sydney Sekeramayi, the meeting will take place on April 7 in Harare.
Ahead of the announcement of the date, some war veterans met in Makoni on Monday to deliberate on the issues they would want Mugabe to address.
Guest speaker, secretary for Disabilities Joel Mureremba, said war veterans were promised Z$50, 000 compensation in 1997 which he said converts to US$18 000 today but some have yet to receive the funds.
“President Mugabe should address the reasons why the money is taking long to be disbursed,” said Mureremba. He said there were also a number of issues that needed to be addressed including fees for their children, unpaid gratuities, medical allowances and allocation of farms, to mention a few.
“Freedom fighters should not be insulted and we want that to be discussed. War veterans should be recognized and enjoy their rights because they are the gallant sons and daughters who waged a protracted struggle to liberate this country,” said Mureremba.
He said it was high time the truth about the situation on the ground was told to their patron.
“The truth should be told to the patron (Mugabe) and the time is now,” he said.
President Robert Mugabe’s crucial meeting with war veterans could decide the fate of Zanu PF as the former fighters want the veteran ruler to deal with members of G40, a group which is reportedly being fronted by his wife, Grace.
On Wednesday, Sekeramayi said the meeting would chat the “way forward as we build the country”, claiming that “detractors” were “working overtime to reverse the gains of independence”.
There is disharmony in Zanu PF as factional groups continue to outclass each other in the succession race to replace their aged leader. Ranged against the G40 is the Lacoste Team, a faction led by Vice President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is believed to be interested in the top job.
COMMENTS
Its good that the war veterans be paid. However its is sad to know that the last time they were paid they cause the now defunct Zim dollar to nose dive from around $7/8 to $18 to the USD in 1998. The panicking Mugabe had no clue on the impact. Now its surprising that almost 20 years after the same war veterans are claiming that they still have to be paid. The silence for all these years, and why did Mugabe the so called patron never bothered to care of their plight except now when issue is about his survival. My take is that both Mugabe and war veterans are taking chances. Mugabe never cared about them except his political survival. The war veterans are not sincere in that they want to take advantage of the panic in him to avert necessary challenge of his presidency. If they are really serious about their plight and know that they really deserve this, no one keeps quiet for 19 years to be paid. Beside what will happen to the others who are died before payment. Yes liberation was needed, but every one play a party in the liberation of the country. No one can really pay for a life that was sacrificed. Acknowledgement of that sacrifice if fine, but it appears extortion. Mugabe also want to by their loyalty because the elections are just near by, where he will use them to harass the very people they are claiming they liberated. ONE THING THE WAR VETERANS NEED TO KNOW NOW IS THAT LIFE OF ORDINARY ZIMBABWE IS WORSE THAN WHERE IT WAS DURING SMITH REGIME. Their was a battle and sacrifice to create a BLACK SMITH in the name of MUGABE and GRACE