War veterans gun for seats
WAR veterans have been challenged to contest for office in next year’s general elections.
Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) Bulawayo chairperson Cde Cephas Ncube said war veterans aspiring for office should prepare their CVs and submit them to the provincial office.
Cde Ncube was speaking at a ZNLWVA special emergency general meeting held at the association’s provincial offices in Entumbane in Bulawayo yesterday. He was however, quick to caution the war veterans aspiring for office not to flout the party’s rules by engaging in early campaigns.
Zanu-PF has warned party members aspiring for office against starting campaigning early before the party gives the green light.
“Let’s go and contest for Parliamentary and council seats. Some of us here don’t want to contest saying it is expensive, but the revolution has no price. You can never put a price tag on a guerrilla. When one of us, a guerrilla has entered the race, let’s support that person. That is one way we will stop malcontents from infiltrating the party,” he said.
Cde Ncube added: “Those that want to contest, you can start preparing your CVs, bring them to the office and you can be assisted to spruce it up. When the time comes you will then submit your CVs to the relevant offices.
“We must however, not breach party rules and start campaigning. The dates will be announced and when that has happened you can submit your CVs. For now just prepare your papers and send them to me,” he said.
Cde Ncube said war veterans should not let the gains of the liberation struggle slip through their fingers by letting opposition parties take power from the ruling party Zanu-PF.
“If as a revolutionary party we lose these elections, coming back will be a struggle because these reactionaries will make sure they finish us up for good. Let us not let that happen,” he said.
The meeting also saw war veterans airing their concerns with the issue of disability compensation taking centre stage. War veterans said they were being paid a flat $70 as disability compensation regardless of the degree of one’s disability. Cde Ncube promised to take the matter up with Welfare Services for War Veterans, War Collaborators, Former Political Detainees and Restrictees Minister Cde Tshinga Dube with the view of having the compensation paid in proportion to one’s degree of disability.
The war veterans also bemoaned lack of support from local political leaders in Bulawayo when burying their colleagues at the provincial heroes’ acre. One former war fighter only identified as Cde Ndlovu said: “When we bury our fellow war veterans, no minister from this part of the country attends, we don’t get police escort . . . Is this the trend everywhere else or it is just happening here in Bulawayo?” he asked.