Former ZPRA war veterans are growing increasingly frustrated over delays in receiving welfare benefits and incentives, saying many of their colleagues are dying in poverty while waiting for government promises to materialise.
The concerns resurfaced during a meeting of the ZPRA Veterans Association in Bulawayo on Sunday, months after veterans raised similar grievances during an interface meeting with Minister of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs, Monica Mavhunga, at Stanley Square in April.
At the April meeting, ZPRA Veterans Association secretary general Petros Sibanda presented a wide-ranging list of concerns, including delayed welfare payments, poor healthcare access, lack of economic opportunities, inadequate pensions and the slow implementation of government policies intended to improve veterans’ lives.
Three months later, Sibanda said little progress had been made.
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“The delay in processing their welfare benefits remains our biggest concern. We wrote to the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, but there has been no response. The last communication we received was on 15 July in Parliament, where a question was asked about the vetting programme,” Sibanda told CITE.
“Veterans are worried about their welfare because most are living below the Poverty Datum Line. Look at the timeframe, we are still waiting. The government must speed up these processes and make sure they are done expeditiously.”
The delays have heightened anxiety among veterans who underwent government vetting exercises in 2022 and 2024, with many still waiting to know when they will begin receiving benefits attached to their recognised status.
“Veterans are tired, as some have resigned themselves to believing nothing will come because the process continues to drag and drag while veterans are dying with nothing to leave for their children,” said the SG.
At the April interface meeting, Sibanda urged the government to provide clear timelines and regular public updates on the processing of benefits, arguing that “many promises remain unfulfilled.”
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Beyond welfare payments, veterans also complained that allocations of land, mining claims and other productive assets lacked transparency and were often politically influenced.
Sibanda called for a publicly accessible database of beneficiaries and said veterans should be prioritised in community share ownership schemes and natural resource ventures.
Economic hardships also dominated the discussions, with veterans arguing that existing pensions and monthly stipends have failed to keep pace with the rising cost of living.
They proposed regular reviews of benefits, the introduction of a minimum income floor linked to national wages and the establishment of a dedicated Veterans Welfare Fund.
Healthcare remains another pressing concern, with Sibanda saying many ageing veterans are battling chronic illnesses but continue to struggle to access medical assistance despite government assurances.
“Some veterans are suffering from prostate conditions, others are now deaf and blind. We do not know whether there is a fund or money set aside specifically to help them,” said the SG.
“The ministry says health institutions will address these challenges, but when you seek help you are told to get quotations and that certain procedures will follow. We urge the government to act with speed.”
At the April meeting, veterans also complained that some public hospitals were refusing to recognise veterans’ identification cards.
They proposed the creation of a dedicated Veterans Health Fund and specialised service desks at public health institutions.
Responding to the grievances in April, Minister Mavhunga acknowledged the welfare concerns and said the government was working to improve veterans’ living conditions.
“On welfare, the issue has been raised in Parliament and in the national budget that veterans’ allowances must be increased. We will continue engaging to improve their conditions,” she said.
She also appealed for unity among veterans, arguing that internal divisions weakened their ability to advocate collectively.
“War veterans must speak with one voice. Without unity, it affects progress,” Mavhunga said, while directing ministry officials to strengthen communication through provincial and district structures.
Meanwhile, the issue of veterans’ welfare reached Parliament as on 15 July 2026 Emakhandeni-Luveve legislator Discent Bajila asked the ministry to explain the progress made in processing veterans who had been vetted during the 2022 and 2024 exercises.
Responding on behalf of the ministry, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the Treasury had committed the necessary funding and indicated that the process was nearing completion.
“Today (15 July) the Minister of War Veterans was thanking Treasury that the process is almost complete. We should be able to see a Gazette soon because that process has been finalised. Treasury has committed funds to make sure that the process is done,” Ziyambi told Parliament.
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