Zhuwao raps war vets’ children
ZANU-PF Politburo member Cde Patrick Zhuwao has said the country owes nothing to war veterans’ children as some of them were creating a sense of entitlement among themselves.
Cde Zhuwao who is the Minister of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment said this as he hailed the children of late Vice President Dr Joshua Nkomo, saying despite the respect their father held, they have remained humble and ready to serve the country without demanding personal glory.
He was speaking at the Joshua Nkomo Youth Symposium in Bulawayo yesterday. He said war veterans’ children should not ride on their parents’ deeds to demand special recognition in the country.
“One of the things that I’m very proud of for my sisters and brothers the children of ubaba uNkomo is that you have not taken a view of entitlement, you have chosen to serve. And the appeal that I make to a lot of young people who are children of war veterans, please lose this sense of entitlement of saying my father, my mother was a war veteran. Yes, we thank your mother and your father for their sacrifices. But it does not make you a war veteran,” he said.
“You need to be able to create your own space. And definitely more, we are not in Zimbabwe creating a class of royalty in war veterans’ children. No. That is not on. I know there is a certain group that says that we are children of war veterans.”
Cde Zhuwao’s sentiments came as a slap in the face for a group running under the banner of Children of Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association.
He said a lot of people, some who may not be recognised for their efforts also contributed to the liberation of the country.
Cde Zhuwao also rapped some war veterans saying they should also lose the sense of entitlement.
“I also want to take on board some of the war veterans that want to claim that space of Zimbabwe by saying that they are stockholders of Zimbabwe while others are stakeholders. I want to say comrades I don’t agree with you. Everybody in Zimbabwe is a stockholder in this enterprise called Zimbabwe,” said Cde Zhuwao.
He urged Zimbabweans to emulate Father Zimbabwe whom he described as a national leader who did not involve himself in shallow politics of tribalism and regionalism. — @nqotshili