Harare, (New Ziana) – The City Sports Centre in Harare was a hive of patriotic fervour on Friday as President Emmerson Mnangagwa met with veterans of the liberation struggle in a spirited interface that also marked the official launch of the Presidential War Veterans Empowerment Program.
Running under the theme “Beyond the Battlefield: Celebrating Courage, Loyalty and Commitment,” the gathering honoured Zimbabwe’s liberation war heroes while unveiling significant support initiatives aimed at uplifting their livelihoods.
In his keynote address, President Mnangagwa announced the disbursement of an additional US$2 million towards the Presidential War Veterans Empowerment Revolving Fund, to be shared equally across all 10 provinces.
The disbursement comes on top of an initial US$1.5 million, already distributed in tranches of US$150 000 per province.
“This Fund is earmarked for income-generating projects. Today, I am disbursing an additional US$2 million towards the Presidential War Veterans Empowerment Revolving Fund to be shared equally among all ten provinces,” President Mnangagwa said.
He emphasised that the initiative is a continuation of a broader commitment by the Second Republic to honour and empower war veterans, ex-political prisoners, restrictees, war collaborators and non-combatant cadres.
“As the Second Republic, we are fostering and encouraging skills development and self-reliance for all veterans of the liberation struggle. Resources will also be availed to cater for widows of war veterans, and just recently, we launched a fund specifically for the children of war veterans.”
President Mnangagwa further announced that fifty tractors are being distributed to veterans involved in agriculture, with each province set to receive five.
In addition, war veterans engaged in farming will access these tractors on a zero-deposit facility, while empowerment packages for those in the mining sector are also in the pipeline.
The occasion also saw the symbolic handover of title deeds to beneficiaries of the War Veterans Housing Scheme, another milestone in the government’s commitment to ensuring dignified living conditions for former freedom fighters.
Last month, the government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Prevail Group of Companies, paving the way for veterans to access residential stands under the Presidential Stands for Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Program.
President Mnangagwa acknowledged the historical role played by liberation war veterans in securing Zimbabwe’s independence and safeguarding national sovereignty.
“We will forever honour all of you, the brave men and women… who took up arms to fight and dismantle the white colonial regime. Our hard-won independence, democracy, and the peace, unity and ongoing accelerated development under the Second Republic form a solid foundation from which we are building our country.”
He praised the unwavering loyalty and political consciousness of veterans, noting their continued role in defending Zimbabwe’s sovereignty against foreign interference.
“Not all features of neo-colonialism have fallen. Some still stand. These include the illegal economic sanctions imposed on our country and the onslaught on our Party, ZANU PF, and its leadership. I congratulate you Comrades for continuing to expose rogue malcontents and opportunists,” he said.
President Mnangagwa also commended the close working relationship among the War Veterans League, ZANU PF, and the Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs, describing it as “symbiotic and mutually
beneficial.”
“The schemes must benefit those who rightfully deserve. I urge those involved, at whatever level, to exercise accountability and ethical conduct,” he stressed.
With several empowerment schemes already in motion, including the War Veterans Empowerment Fund, the Borehole Sinking Program, and the War Veterans Housing Scheme, the latest fund injection and program launch underline a clear message from the government that the liberation war heroes remain at the heart of the country’s development agenda.
New Ziana
