HARARE — Children of Zimbabwe’s liberation war veterans are set for a major engagement with His Excellency Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President and First Secretary of ZANU PF, when thousands converge at the Harare International Conference Centre on 5 October for a Presidential Interface focused on their role in Zimbabwe’s development.
Held under the theme “Veterans’ Children Safeguarding the Legacy and Advancing Vision 2030,” the interface is expected to bring together representatives of veterans’ children from across the country for a direct engagement on empowerment, economic participation, governance and the preservation of Zimbabwe’s liberation heritage.
National Chairperson of the Children of Zimbabwe Liberation War Veterans Association, Cde Eng. Phineas Makombe, has been at the centre of preparations for the engagement, as the association mobilises its structures ahead of the national gathering.
The 5 October meeting is significant because it places the children of the liberation war generation at the centre of a national conversation that goes beyond historical remembrance.
It comes at a time when veterans’ children are increasingly being organised around questions of economic empowerment, access to opportunities, entrepreneurship, education and participation in national development.
The interface is therefore expected to examine how the liberation legacy can be converted into practical generational responsibility under the country’s Vision 2030 development agenda.
For Makombe and the CZLWVA leadership, the responsibility of the veterans’ children extends beyond preserving the history of the liberation struggle. It also involves building an economically productive generation capable of contributing meaningfully to Zimbabwe’s future.
The engagement provides an opportunity for the children of the liberation generation to articulate their aspirations directly while also considering their responsibilities in advancing national development.
The meeting also comes against the background of Government-backed empowerment initiatives targeting children of liberation war veterans, including programmes aimed at improving access to capital and economic opportunities.
For a generation that inherited the benefits and responsibilities associated with Zimbabwe’s liberation history without directly participating in the war, the central question is increasingly becoming what it will do with that inheritance.
The 5 October Presidential Interface therefore presents an opportunity to connect the sacrifices of the liberation generation with the development responsibilities of the present generation.
With provincial structures mobilising ahead of the HICC gathering, the event is expected to become a major national platform for children of liberation war veterans to engage on their place in Zimbabwe’s economic and social development.
The significance of the gathering extends beyond the numbers expected at the venue.
It is fundamentally about generational responsibility, ensuring that the values, sacrifices and aspirations associated with the liberation struggle are translated into productive participation in the economy and the broader national development programme.
As Makombe and the various structures continue preparations for the 5 October engagement, the central message is becoming increasingly clear: the liberation legacy cannot remain confined to history, it must find expression in what the next generation builds.
