We attend to such issues … Social Welfare minister, Prisca Mupfumira
She was speaking during parliament’s question and answer session this past week where she also said government had enough resources to give free treatment to those still suffering the effects of the country’s liberation war.
She was then asked by Budiriro legislator Costa Machingauta if government could extend the same facility to victims of the 2008 political violence.
“In Zimbabwe, which is 36 years old after the advent of our liberation, there are those people whose limbs were severed in June 2008…does government have anything in place to ensure that those whose limbs were severed in 2008 with the acronym ‘short sleeve’; that were hurt by other members (MPs) who are in this august House, what are you going to do about them?â€
In her response, Mupfumira said government would not be partisan in offering assistance to victims of violence.
“We have departments in our Ministry that attend to such issues,†she said.
“I urge Honorable members as people’s representatives to assist them by referring them to the various departments of Social Welfare. We have a bigger centre in Ruwa and another one in Bulawayo where the victims are attended to and the type of assistance needed is assessed. As government we do not require party cards upfront and the Government is for everyone, and I represent all the people of Zimbabwe.”
The bloody 2008 presidential run-off period was ignited by President Robert Mugabe’s defeat to arch rival Morgan Tsvangirai of MDC-T during first round of the poll.
The state sponsored violence saw the country’s partisan national army deploy top officers in Mashonaland provinces to lead a Zanu PF campaign in which villagers where forced to vote for Mugabe.
The MDC-T says more than 300 of its followers were killed during the period with most of the perpetrators allowed to walk free.
More were displaced from their homes while women and girls were allegedly raped by militant Zanu PF supporters who were punishing them for voting for the enemy.
President Mugabe’s government has refused to own up to the transgressions.
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