Zimpapers Logo

Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT has said those who were unsuccessful in the just ended second phase of the vetting exercise of veterans of the liberation struggle should lodge their appeal with the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Board by August 31.

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

Under the second phase of the programme, which ran from March 20 to March 26, applicants who registered were supposed to report for vetting at various centres across the country’s 10 provinces where vetting teams were deployed to ascertain their credentials.

In a statement, Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Board secretary Lieutenant-Colonel Gertrude Moyo (Rtd) said given the large number of those that were not successful and their geographical dispersion, the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Board is anticipating applications for appeal.

She said some applicants, particularly those from remote parts of the country, could find it difficult to access their offices.

“In order to simplify the process, the Board resolved that all applicants who were not successful for various reasons and wish to appeal should approach the nearest district and provincial offices of the Department of War Veterans Affairs where they will complete an appeal form,” she said.

“The forms can be downloaded from the Department of War Veterans Affairs’ website www.dvls.gov.zw and thereafter submitted to the nearest district and provincial offices.

They have until 31 August 2022 to do so.”

Rtd Lt-Col Moyo said among those who missed out are war veterans in the diaspora and they should submit their details at the country’s embassies around the world.

In terms of Section 8 (8) of the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act, any person aggrieved at the outcome of the vetting exercise must appeal to the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Board.

Rtd Lt-Col Moyo said the details of those who were successfully vetted are currently being compiled in preparation for publication.

Their names will then be published in the Government Gazette for 30 days to allow persons who have representations against the accreditation of specific individuals to do so.

“Any representations will be investigated and if there are no representations after 30 days, these individuals are deemed to be finally accredited,” said Rtd Lt-Col Moyo

The vetting was done according to categories of veterans as described in Section 2 of the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act.

Vetting for war collaborators and war veterans ran from March 20 to March 31, while the vetting period for non-combatant cadres, ex-political prisoners, detainees and restrictees was held from March 20 to March 26.

Vetting centres for war collaborators were located in the areas where they operated during the liberation war while commanders and war veterans who operated together with them in different operational areas conducted the exercise.

In the case of non-combatants, remnants for ex-political prisoners, detainees and restrictees, vetting was done in the provincial capitals of the districts where they submitted registration forms.

Vetting was done by commanders of the following transit camps: Botswana (Dukwe, Francistown and Selibe Phikwe), Mozambique (Chibawawa, Doeroi, Mabvudzi and Nyadzonya), Zambia (Jason Ziyaphapha, Maheba, Nampundu, Solwezi and Victory).

In Bulawayo, the vetting centre for non-combatant cadres, ex-political prisoners, detainees and restrictees took place at Elangeni Training Institute while in Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North the centres were Gwanda District Club and Lupane Community Hall respectively.

The vetting of war collaborators was to determine genuine members who are supposed to receive their benefits is enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe

In 2013, the Zimbabwe National Army called for the vetting of war veterans after a realisation that there were some former freedom fighters who were not benefiting from the War Veterans Fund. — @mashnets