They first made the demands early this year, but seemed to have accepted Finance Minister Tendai Biti’s position that Treasury could not release such funds due to expenses involved in holding the referendum and elections.
But Shadreck Makombe, the Secretary General of the Zimbabwe National War Veterans Association, told The Zimbabwean at the weekend that his organisation had made a fresh bid to get the perks before elections.
“What we are requesting is what we are owed. We are not begging,” he said, adding that it was the norm the world over that war veterans should demand a piece of the national cake each time they feel it has grown.
In November 1997 some 60,000 members of his organisation each got ZW$50,000 lump sum gratuities – leading to national financial turmoil and a massive devaluing of the Zimdollar from Z$14 to the United States dollar to ZW$49 almost immediately. Economists have warned that such an impact on the economy may be witnessed again if government heeds the latest demands.
At present, they receive a monthly allowance of $200 – almost equivalent to the least paid civil servant. On top of that, they and their families are entitled to free medical aid while their children’s education fees are paid for by government.
The war veterans constitute a strong wing of Zanu (PF) and in 2000 ignited the controversial land grab that displaced thousands of productive commercial farmers.
Post published in: News