War vets urged to unite

WAR veterans should put aside their differences and direct their energy towards campaigning for Zanu-PF ahead of the harmonised elections set for July 30 this year.

Responding to queries raised by members of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association in Chinhoyi recently, ZNLWVA provincial chairman for Mashonaland West Cde Cornelius Muoni said Zanu-PF was the only political party with their interests at heart.

He said internal differences would cost the revolutionary party.

“Let us campaign for Zanu-PF and bury our differences. If we start fighting now the revolutionary party will not win the election and we will all be losers,” he said.

Cde Muoni said there was need for war veterans to unite as they were the ones mandated by the party to spearhead the campaign and ensure that the party wins resoundingly.

“Let us vote for all Zanu-PF candidates even those whom we are not happy with and we will settle those misunderstandings after the elections.

“We are all aware that we are the ones who were asked to spearhead the campaign by the party, so we can only achieve this if we promote oneness among ourselves,” he said.

Cde Muoni said the war veterans sacrificed their lives to live in a free and peaceful Zimbabwe and they will spearhead the campaign peacefully.

Some of the concerns that were raised by war veteran during the meeting included proper funding for campaign material by the party.

They also appealed to Government to consider some of their children when recruiting members of the security services.

The war veterans also appealed for proper vetting of war veterans and collaborators including the revision of their allowances.

Meanwhile, ZNLWVA national secretary for small and medium enterprises Cde Agnes Siyakurima has urged members to take advantage of Government’s various agricultural and economic development projects.

She noted programmes such as Command Agriculture as some Government initiatives that could benefit the war veterans.

“As your national secretary for small and medium enterprises I want to encourage you to participate in the Government’s Command Agriculture programmes including poultry, fisheries, wildlife and livestock.

“These are some of Government’s programmes that as war veterans we can take advantage of to transform our lives,” she said.

“We should also try to venture into different income generating projects. Those who live in Zvimba I hope you are all aware that road runners are being sold to Chinese people at a cost of $10 to $12.”

She said the ZNLWVA leadership does not encourage begging among their members.

“We are working very hard that you get adequate resources to run these projects, even if you get A1 farms, you can still generate a lot of money,” Cde Siyakurima said.