‘What we fought for now bearing fruits’

This year’s independence celebrations come at a time when the country is under a new dispensation under President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The new era has seen an influx of tourists into the country and significant strides have been made to mend international ties that had grown sour over the years.

Zimbabwe War Veterans’ Investment Portfolio Matabeleland South chairperson Mr Remond Mauba said what they fought for is now finally bearing fruits.

He said the new government is in a move to further develop the country as a whole unlike the past 37 years when the agenda of development was personalised.

“As war veterans when we went to war against the whites it was because we wanted to develop the country so as to the benefit its majority. For the past years this has not been the case,” said Mr Mauba.

“Life before independence was not a walk in the park as times were tough. Before I joined the others and left the country for training, life was all about sacrifices. We had to socialise as a community for a better life. During training that is when we worked well with each other.

“People are underestimating the work done by the veterans of the struggle as there are not recognising them as revered people in making Zimbabwe a free country. This pains a lot for these war veterans, ex-detainees and collaborators, the suffering they endured with little respect being given to them.”

In terms of investment Mr Mauba who is also the provincial chairperson for the taskforce for mining for the war veterans said the influx of exhibitors at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) is sign that business opportunities have been opened in Zimbabwe.

He said the Matabeleland province will clearly benefit from this development especially in the mining industry with the province housing a lot of small scale miners.

“Things are now taking shape as investment conditions are now conducive. This is the independence we fought for. For the nation to develop we need other countries to help us facilitate these developments and if this was the case 37 years ago, we would by now changed from being a developing country to be a developed nation without any doubt,” he said. — @ mthabisi_mthire.