By Andrew Ndlovu (war name Volunteer Mkhwananzi NF2 Regional Zone Commander)
I chronicle my political analysis in my capacity as a former Zpra freedom fighter, Northern Front 2, Regional Zone Commander who during the Liberation struggle had made many false promises to the peasants in the operation areas that when Zimbabwe attained its independence they will live a pretty life.
Today, I have been proven to be a liar, as what happened soon after independence in 1980 to date is completely opposite to their expectations and reasons for supporting the liberation struggle. It is as if the peasants and freedom fighters were fighting to liberate a country for them to suffer and not enjoy what they fought for against British colonial rule.
It has been 43 years now since Zimbabwe attained its independence. Zpra and Zanla former freedom fighters are still living in poverty, with the government failing to pay them their pensions. I assume all this is happening because the majority of people in government were at school abroad while the children of peasants were fighting against the Rhodesian regime forces. They are not moved when they see a war veteran suffer because to them it is good as long as they remain in office to politically divide and rule war veterans for their own benefits.
I would like to remind those in government offices that what they are doing in parliament is not what freedom fighters and peasants sacrificed their lives for. As citizens, we are tired of the personal enrichment type of politics that is meant to divide and rule the people of Zimbabwe on tribal lines, false promises during elections and unfair land distribution.
There is also unfair awarding of mining claims by the government, where one company is being allowed to own all Matabeleland mining claims, a clear sign that we fought for individuals to enrich themselves at the expense of the nation. On the rights of the Veterans of the Liberation struggle, the government must uphold the Constitution of Zimbabwe paragraph 84,(a)(b)(c) page 39,it says veterans of the Liberation struggle are entitled to due recognition for their contribution to the Liberation of Zimbabwe, and to suitable welfare such as pension and access to health care, etc.
It should be the role of the government to see that the welfare of war veterans is in order and not to be pushed by veterans through demonstrations, we are no longer qualified to do that as grandfathers and mothers.
I also urge all those government officials to push for non-partisan politics as we are all qualified to benefit from our political rights as read in paragraph 67, section (1)(a)(b) and section (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(3)(a)(b). To also take into account is Property Rights, paragraph 71 section (2) subsection 72, every person has the right in any part of Zimbabwe, to acquire, hold, occupy, use, transfer, hypothecate, lease or dispose of all forms of property, either individually or in association with others, a good example is Zpra properties (Nitram Holding p/L) owned by Zpra Veterans which the government confiscated in the 1980s.
I, therefore, in my personal capacity and as someone who contributed towards the purchase of the Zpra Veterans properties call upon the government to unconditionally remove the caveat that was put on our properties and that the properties be returned to their rightful owners. I call upon the government to respect the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No.20)ACT 2013 and do away with any form of oppression, economically and politically against its citizens, before, during and after any country’s general elections.
