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Rtd Col Dube

Felex Share Senior Reporter
War veterans finalise their thematic reports today ahead of their meeting with their patron, President Mugabe tomorrow, amid reports that focus will be on party ideology, threats to the party and revolution and statutory benefits.

Other thematic areas include economic empowerment of the freedom fighters and preferential treatment to economic opportunities and natural resources as well as liberation war heritage.

Welfare Services for War Veterans, War Collaborators, Ex-Detainees and Restrictees Minister Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube yesterday said all was in place for the big event.

“The war veterans are meeting tomorrow (today) on their own to come up with thematic reports to be discussed at tomorrow’s meeting.

“In actual fact, the kick off conference is on tomorrow in preparation of the main meeting with the patron (President Mugabe) the following day.

“Delegates started arriving today (yesterday) while some will arrive tomorrow morning to join their fellow comrades for discussions.”

At least 10 000 war veterans are expected at the meeting scheduled for the City Sports Centre in Harare.

The country has 34 093 surviving war veterans and a third of them, mainly representatives will attend the indaba.

Rtd Col Dube said accreditation of delegates progressed well countrywide including in Harare where there were challenges on Monday.

He said resources for the event were being mobilised.

“Things are now moving in the right direction in terms of logistics and we are managing,” Rtd Col Dube said.

“We had challenges because the process of mobilising money is cumbersome but things are in the proper order at the moment.

“As for accreditation of delegates, we haven’t received any reports of hiccups meaning everything is going according to plan in all the provinces.”

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association spokesperson Cde Douglas Mahiya said all was set for the indaba.

“We are now ready for the meeting and focus would be on welfare issues, party ideology and even the corruption that is pulling the country down among other important issues affecting us,” he said.

“Also to be discussed are other issues that the comrades have in their heads and minds and we expect to have a fruitful deliberation. What is happening is historical as a number of historic events have happened in the month of April.

“We will ask the authorities to make April 7, the War Veterans Day because to us this is an important day.”

President Mugabe meets the delegates in plenary where he will listen to the reports and resolutions of the thematic groups before delivering his key note address.

Most of the sessions would be closed and it would be up to the President and the committee organising the meeting to publicise the resolutions of the deliberations.

Each district is supposed to provide 50 members and another 55 members who may not be members of the association but composed of categories like High Command, General Staff, field commanders in the liberation struggle.

Any war veteran who had a part in the liberation war — female combatants, wounded comrades — is legible for selection by the Joint Operations Command process, 55 per district.