By Lloyd Takawira
Controversy has gripped the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) Harare Province after members criticised the government for failing to emulate the Rhodesian government under Ian Smith.
The issue raised during a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs on the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle, 2019 Bill public hearing held at a basketball court near Stoddart Hall in Mbare recently .
A representative from ZNLWA said Smith’s government had succeeded even when it had the West imposed sanctions something that the Mnangagwa led administration had failed to do.
“When Smith was under sanctions, he crafted what was called a Serviceman Charter to bust them, but today government is suffering because they have failed to put in place a policy or a Serviceman Charter to bust these sanctions”.
Presenting their position paper on the Bill, the war veterans accused the government of failing to introduce what they call a War Veteran Bond.
According to the veterans, the War Veteran Bond would ensure that the revolutionary values are maintained in all arms of government so that they can never be changed by any political party .
However other war veterans who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity expressed shock over their counterparts utterances saying those who had a nostalgia for Rhodesia clearly never faught during the war.
“Sellouts speak like that, genuine war veterans don’t speak about or wish for Rhodesia. They are just masquerades,” said one war veteran.
