By Lloyd Takawira
Veterans of the Liberation struggle have adopted a number of demands which they say the government should fulfil as part of honouring them.
Presenting a position paper on the 2020 national budget to the Parliamentary portfolio committee on Defense and War Veterans Secretary Mark Marongwe highlighted that various sections of the societies have their banks and as war vets, they feel left out.
“Women and youths have their own banks, which was established for them, but if you look at the war heroes that fought in the liberation struggle they are not well funded in terms of self-help projects and there is need for financing to be availed so that there can be a war veterans bank where they can borrow money for self-help projects,” said Marongwe .
“Even 39 years after independence our remaining liberation fighters are still suffering from different effects of the war and just like in other countries, for instance, the United States of America, there is need for a institutions like a specialized hospital to cater for our war veterans, and the hospital can raise money through charging fees to non-veteran clients,” he added.
The veteran’s secretary also called for tax exemption from various forms of levies that ordinary citizens are mandated to pay with effect from next year.
“The beginning year 2020, the government should also exempt war veterans from the following taxes; land, vehicles, industrial machinery, agricultural equipment levies, tollgates and parking fees.
“Widows and surviving children of war veterans must not be dispossessed of agricultural land” he added.
With Robert Mugabe having paid the freedom fighters huge but unbudgeted payouts from the country’s coffers in 1997, the welfare of the country’s liberators has gradually dilapidated.
People interviewed by this news crew were sceptical of the demands from the country veteran’s.
Munya from Glen Norah said, ” l understand they were awarded gratuities in 1997 and the country knelt down, zvozofambasei now “.
Melisa from Chitungwiza said, ” ndivo zve vakosha kudarika munhu wese , ngavatibvire “.
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