…Only top brass benefits from measly fund
By Brighton Chiseva
MASVINGO – A staggering approximate of 4,000 war veterans in Masvingo Province were recently awarded a meager US$150,000 from the US$1.5 Million Presidential War Veterans Fund to be shared among them, which has been described as a slap in the face by critics of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term limit extension bid.
Sources within the ruling party said from the US$150 000, the war veterans in Masvingo shared around US$2000 each on February 6, meaning only around 70 people benefited out of around 4000 database of war veterans and collaborators.
The move reveals desperation by a Zanu PF faction aligned to Mnangagwa to keep war veterans on their side following calls by a section of war veterans for Mnangagwa to retire and allow his deputy Vice President Constantino Chiwenga to take over.
The war veteran fund was launched on January 31 to counter war veteran and Central Committee member Blessed Geza’s statements where he said the veterans of the struggle were living in poverty whilst another faction seeks to extend the incumbent’s rule.
In Masvingo, it was launched by the Special Presidential Investment Advisor Dr Paul Tungwarara, who splashed cash in Chivi, as well as promising to drill boreholes at each war veteran’s homestead.
Contacted for comment, the Provincial Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) Chairperson Killer Makuni confirmed that they met yesterday (Thursday February 6) but refused to share further details saying he could not speak to someone whom he does not know over the phone and referred questions to national executive member Tendeukai Chinooneka.
“I do not know you so I can’t discuss issues of the league with someone I do not know. You can talk to other comrades in Masvingo and arrange a meeting so you can discuss that,” said Makuni.
Ironically, some prominent war veterans from Masvingo like former ZNLWVA chairperson Chinooneka and Western Ezra said they did not attend the event where the money was shared.
Makuni still insisted that Chinooneka who is a war veterans national executive member was present during the meeting.
Chinooneka in turn told TellZim News that Makuni was the right person to comment on the matter since he was the provincial chairperson and also insisted that he never attended any event where money was shared.
“I am a national executive member so I cannot comment on that matter, it has to be commented by the provincial chairperson. I was not present at the event you are talking about, whoever told you that I was there lied to you,” said Chinooneka.
Sources from the party also said the war veterans’ league top brass decided to benefit at the expense of those in the grassroots structures.
Another war veterans boss Retired General Gibson Mashingaidze also refused to comment on the matter saying he could not speak to the media who may distort information.
“I cannot speak to the media, you guys distort information giving people factions they do not belong to,” said Mashingaidze.
At the launch of the Village Business Unit on February 1 in Chivi, Tungwarara gave war veterans who were present US$200 each, where he promised a US$150 000 Fund which they could borrow and start their own projects.
The Chiwenga faction is said to be backed by mainly the war veterans and some disgruntled party members including former G40 faction remnants who are against Mnangagwa’s rule.
The Mnagagwa faction reportedly has the Minister of Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi and Minister of Local Government and Public works Daniel Garwe among other key figures at the forefront.
War veterans were very instrumental in Mnangagwa’s rise to power in 2017, with faction aligned to him now desperately trying to be in the war veterans’ good graces.
