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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter

NEARLY 30 000 applicants who presented their credentials during the vetting exercise of veterans of the liberation struggle were unsuccessful.

President Mnangagwa in June 2021 launched the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Economic Empowerment Programme and Vetting Exercise in Harare.

Government had given those who were unsuccessful time to lodge their appeal with the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Board by August 31 last year.

At least 11 000 applicants were disqualified as their ages implied that they might not have participated in the liberation struggle.

The Ministry of Defence and War Veterans conducted a vetting exercise for war veterans in June 2021 while vetting for war collaborators and non-combatant cadres was conducted last year in March.

Those who were vetted are war collaborators, noncombatant cadres, ex-political prisoners, detainees and restrictees and war veterans.
In a statement, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said the exercise

covered more than 200 000, the majority being war collaborators.
“A total of 207 103 applicants registered for vetting in 2021 and 150 434 were vetted in 2022, leaving a balance of 56 669.

Statistically, this means that 72 percent of veterans of all categories were vetted, implying that another 20 percent remained outstanding,” she said.

“The major problem with this analysis is that there are some veterans who did not register in 2021 but turned up for the vetting exercise. Similarly, there are other veterans who registered, but did not turn up for vetting.”

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said 134 400 war collaborators were vetted of which 110 645 were deemed provisionally successful while 23 755 were provisionally unsuccessful.

She said 12 699 non-combatant cadres were vetted and 10 022 of them were successful while 2 677 were turned down.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said the ministry’s teams also vetted ex-political prisoners, detainees and restrictees covering 3 189 and only 396 were successful while 2 793 were turned down.

She said 146 war veterans were vetted and 122 of them were successful while 24 were unsuccessful.
Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said as a result, 29 249 were provisionally not successfully vetted as some of them did not have adequate data while others provided information that is not permissible.

“Those not successful were on account of age (11 330), and inadequate personal information (17 919), particularly national identification particulars.

For those affected by age, it is a legal requirement that one should have been 16 years by 31 December 1979 while individuals with inadequate information were requested to provide more details to Provincial Field Officers and District Field Officers,” she said.

“Those who do not meet the age criteria will be disqualified while those who succeed will also be gazetted.

Those who meet the vetting criteria will be included on the list of the successfully vetted veterans after their names are gazetted.”

The minister said those who were told to update their personal information should do so by April 30 before Government gazettes the successful applicants.

She said despite limited financial resources, Government has made efforts to improve the welfare of former liberation fighters.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said former freedom fighters are now going to receive an increment in allowances when Government hikes salaries for members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.

“The formula for determining the monthly pension for these categories has now been harmonised under a framework that was improved by the Second Republic to ensure that whenever salaries and allowances of members of the ZDF are adjusted, the monthly pension of veterans is automatically increased,” she said.

“It should also be noted that while all pensions payable from the Consolidated Revenue Fund are administered directly by the Pensions Office in terms of the provisions of the Pensions Review Act [Chap 16:03], the Ministry of Defence and War Veterans Affairs is still responsible for initiating fundamental changes to pension policy for its clients.”

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said the intention of the Second Republic in aligning the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act [Chap 17:12] to the Constitution is meant to ensure that Government creates a holistic framework to deal with the welfare and economic empowerment of ex-combatants.

She said Government fully paid fees for war veterans’ children for the past year and is in the process of consolidating the list of those who should benefit this year.

Since 2018, Government has paid tuition fees for 7 389 war veterans’ children in primary, colleges and even universities and some of them learning in foreign schools.

“Veterans and their children are also entitled to education benefits at Government schools or educational institutions.

In the event of them or their children enrolling at non-Government institutions or outside the country, they are entitled to educational benefits equal in amount to the fees payable at Government schools or institutions,” said Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri.

She said Government also provides medical and funeral cover for former freedom fighters, their spouses and children.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said Government has also paid medical expenses for 3 320 former freedom fighters and assisted 1 917 families of deceased freedom fighters with funeral cover.

Government provides them with cash equivalent to US$500 at interbank rate.
Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said Government is alive to the sacrifices that were made by the freedom fighters and will continue to cater for their wellbeing.

“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.

This is the reason why the Second Republic came up with the new Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act so that there is holistic attention to matters of their welfare and empowerment,” she said.

“That notwithstanding, Government resources are limited and it is not possible to honour all their requests at once. To this end, the Second Republic will continue to support ongoing efforts by Veterans and Investment Corporation to augment resources availed through the fiscus and hopes that as the economy continues to improve, more benefits will be availed.” -@nqotshili