Defence and War Veterans’ Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has revealed that government was in the process of coming up with a single consolidated law to address the welfare needs of war veterans including the recognition of non combatant cadres.

Muchinguri said President Mnangagwa had instructed the ministry to take corrective measures providing for the recognition of all veterans of the liberation struggle, including non-combatant cadres’ categories.

She said:

“Cabinet has approved principles for the repeal of War Veterans Act (Chapter 11:15) and the Ex-Political Prisoners, Detainees and Restrictees Act (Chapter 17:10).

Efforts are underway for the enactment of the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Bill, which, subject to approval by Parliament and the president’s consent, will recognise three categories of veterans of the liberation   war.”

Muchinguri-Kashiri said it was imperative that Government looked after all the three categories of the former freedom fighters in the liberation struggle who consisted of war veterans as defined in the War Veterans Act, those who assisted in the war consisting of non-combatant cadres and war collaborators and people defined by the Ex-Political Prisoners, Detainees and Restrictees Act.

Non-combatant cadres refer to those who had attained the age of 16 by 1979 having crossed any of Zimbabwe’s borders with the intention of participating in the liberation struggle as members of the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (Zanla) or Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (Zipra).

“Due to circumstances beyond their control, these people got military training or were not trained, but remained in the temporary refugee camps in other countries until November 29, 1979,” said Muchinguri-Kashiri.

She said provisions were underway to identify and generate resources to finance the welfare of the veterans to be managed by a War Veterans Board appointed last month.

“Mnangagwa further directed that all ministries with a role in the economy must set aside 20 percent of their activities for the benefit of the veterans.

The board will preside over a special purpose vehicle that will run businesses in all sectors of the economy, with a view of augmenting the assistance central Government is already giving to war veterans in the form of pensions, medical aid and school fees for their children.”-StateMedia