Beatrice Imbayago
BINDURA — The government has reiterated its dedication to improving the welfare of war veterans, aligning these efforts with its ambitious 2030 agenda to ensure that no one and no place is left behind.
The Special Advisor to the President on Investment and Empowerment, Paul Tungwarara, reaffirmed this commitment on Saturday in Mashonaland Central, where the presidential war veterans’ borehole drilling scheme was officially launched in Bindura.
Beyond drilling rigs, the broader empowerment package has included solar-powered borehole installations at individual veterans’ homesteads, tractors, mining equipment, and Isuzu single-cab vehicles
The initiative is designed to provide sustainable access to clean water for domestic use, livestock, and nutritional garden irrigation, while simultaneously creating local jobs and income-generating opportunities for veterans through commercial drilling services
“As the government, we are determined to ensure that war veterans’ welfare is taken care of. We sat down with the President, and I came to Mahiya and asked him. He said people are not okay and need to be supported, which is why we created a revolving fund for war veterans. We have been distributing it to war veterans across the country,” he said.
“We saw that the issue of money was a problem, which led to the introduction of another empowerment fund. This time, the President decided not to provide money, but instead to bring water drilling rigs that would drill boreholes for all war veterans.
Dr Tungwarara also assured that the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Act, 2026 (CAA3) is the voice of the people and is here to stay.
“CAA3 is now a law and is here to stay. It is not going anywhere, and it is not a one-man band; it was done by all,” he noted.
Douglas Mahiya, the ZANU-PF Secretary for War Veterans Affairs, criticised war veterans who go against the ruling party.
“If you went to war, even if you join hands and become three, you cannot run the country and the party alone. The party is not a one-man band; it requires the people to be run, not an individual,” he noted.
Mahiya added that no one is above the law in ZANU-PF, as it is for the people.
“There is a saying that we grew up affirming in the party, which states that people can come and go, but the ruling party, ZANU-PF, will remain,” he said.
Mahiya called for the identification of land on which to build 100 houses that will benefit war veterans and their families, to be unveiled on every Independence Day.
“We sat with the President and agreed that each Independence Day, war veterans must be given one hundred houses. We now appeal to the Resident Minister to make land available in your area for these houses for our war veterans,” he said.
He announced that 270 hectares of land have been set aside to benefit war veterans and their children.
“There is no development that can occur without inheriting certain infrastructure. Our children cannot have a better life if we do not leave anything behind for them. We have set aside 270 hectares of land to benefit war veterans and their children,” he added.
The next launch will be in Matabeleland province.
