Veterans of the liberation struggle have requested the government to avail land and stands for them to pursue income generating projects and have a roof over their heads.
This was revealed by the Interim Secretary for Publicity and Information of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA), Edward Dube at a press conference held in Harare yesterday.
The press conference comes after the appointment of Cde Chris Mutsvangwa as the Minister of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs by President Mnangagwa following ZANU PF’s triumph in the recently held harmonised general elections..
ZNLWVA congratulated Cde Mutsvangwa on his appointment as minister and called for an inclusive approach as they engage on welfare and other issues.
“Congratulations on your appointment as the Cabinet Minister of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs in Zimbabwe. This esteemed role presents a valuable opportunity to significantly impact the lives of war veterans. We recognize that there has been an unsynchronized relationship between the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) leadership and the ministry in the past”, said Mr Dube.
The war veterans seek access to land for farming and require training for them to engage in commercial farming.
“Access to Farming Land: Collaborate with the ZNLWVA to facilitate access to farming land for war veterans. Identify suitable agricultural land, provide necessary support in terms of land allocation, secure tenure rights, and assist war veterans with farming inputs, equipment, and training”.
This publication was surprised to note that there are some war veterans who did not benefit from the land distribution program and the question still stands as to why were they left out as they were the leaders of the land distribution program.
On land ownership, ZNLWVA requested for farmers to get title to enable them to access lines of credit from financial institutions.
“Advocate for legislative reforms and policies that protect the land rights of war veterans. Collaborate with the ZNLWA to address land disputes and ensure secure land ownership for war veterans. By securing land tenure rights, war veterans can have long-term access to land for farming, residential purposes, and other productive activities:, said Mr Dube.
The war veterans also clamor for their interests to be protected by the new minister. They also expect the minister to ensure they have their benefits and the history of the liberation struggle is documented and preserved.
Cde Mutsvangwa is a season politician who is expected to navigate and ensure the needs of war vets are met.
