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Farirai Machivenyika-Senior Reporter

THE Second Republic remains cognisant of the role played by veterans of the liberation struggle and enacted the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act to provide a holistic approach to their welfare and empowerment, the Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, said yesterday.

Outlining progress made in the implementation of the Act, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri noted that funds have now started flowing into the Veterans Investment Corporation and that practical health and education benefits have been extended to the veterans, their dependants and their children.

The Act, enacted in 2020, recognises the four categories of the veterans of the liberation struggle as provided for by the Constitution, which are the war veterans, ex-political prisoners, detainees and restrictees, non-combatant cadres and war collaborators.

“It has never escaped the Second Republic’s attention that veterans of the liberation struggle exhibited unparalleled bravery, unselfishness and valour in the pursuit of national interests which should be acknowledged,” Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said. She added that while Government resources are limited and therefore it was not possible to honour all requests from veterans of the liberation struggle, there would be ongoing efforts by the Veterans Investment Corporation (VIC) to augment resources availed through the budget.

The VIC was formed in 2021 to spearhead investments in sectors of the economy that include tourism, banking, mining, health, tourism, agriculture and properties, to grow the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Fund.

“Following the injection of working capital by Treasury in August 2022, the VIC commenced work on activities in agriculture and will soon expand to other sectors of the economy in due course,” the Minister said.

Some of the benefits that have been extended to the veterans of the liberation struggle and their dependants include education, health, access to land and funeral assistance.

In 2018, 15 569 children of veterans of the liberation struggle had their fees paid by the Government while 18 632 benefitted in 2019, 14 928 in 2020, with 9 093 benefiting in 2021 and 7 389 last year.

The Government also provided medical benefits for the veterans and their dependants with statistics showing that 700 benefitted in 2018 while 1 085 benefitted in 2019, 3 020 benefiting in 2020.

In 2021, statistics show that 612 people benefitted and 3 320 had their medical bills paid for in 2022.

In cases where it was necessary, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said some veterans or their dependants were referred for treatment abroad, with 14 of them benefiting from the facility between 2018 and 2022. 

Over the same period, 1 917 families received funeral assistance.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said in terms of empowerment, it was now law that veterans of the liberation struggle were now entitled to 20 percent of land under the land reform programme, with that quota now adopted by relevant ministries.

About 11 130 veterans benefitted from the land redistribution programme. 

To add impetus to ongoing efforts to improve the welfare and economic empowerment of veterans of the liberation struggle, President Mnangagwa appointed the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Board on April 1, 2021.

The 13-member board is chaired by Major-General Gibson Mashingaidze (Retired) and is tasked with advancing the interests of the veterans of the liberation struggle.

Meanwhile, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said following the launch of the first phase of vetting of the veterans by President Mnangagwa in 2021, a total of 207 103 applicants had registered for vetting by the end of the year while 150 434 were vetted by end of last year, leaving a balance of 56 669.