By Archford Chirimudombo
Harare, (New Ziana) – President Emmerson Mnangagwa says Government will continue to honour veterans of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle through sustainable welfare and empowerment programmes aimed at integrating them and their dependants into the mainstream economy.
Speaking during an engagement with thousands of children of liberation war veterans in Harare on Monday, President Mnangagwa said Government had introduced a range of measures to improve the welfare and economic participation of the veterans’ community.
He said some veterans had already been appointed to positions of responsibility on public sector boards, while others had been strategically deployed across Ministries, Departments and Agencies in line with their skills and experience.
President Mnangagwa said Government would also continue to advance the economic empowerment of veterans through the quota reservation system and under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS-2).
He said Government was targeting dedicated financing windows to support enterprises owned by veterans and strengthen their participation in productive economic activities.
“Fundamental legal mechanisms and statutes governing the welfare of Veterans are being reviewed. The Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Bill, National Heroes Bill and War Victims Compensation Bill have been drafted and are under consideration. The Veterans policy is being developed and will provide an overarching framework for the management of veterans’ affairs.
“I expect that you, the descendants of our war veterans, will leverage your youthfulness, various skills and training, to contribute to the growth of our economy, including in the public and private sectors, entrepreneurial enterprises, businesses and industry. Government will continue to strengthen educational support systems,” he said.
The President urged children of liberation war veterans, including those pursuing higher and tertiary education, to use their skills and creativity to develop innovations, products and services that contribute to industrialisation, modernisation and economic growth.
He said sustainable empowerment remained central to Government’s development agenda, with emphasis on increasing productive capacity, promoting viable enterprises, developing skills and creating opportunities for citizens to participate meaningfully in the economy.
President Mnangagwa also challenged the younger generation to make bold and purposeful choices about their future while aligning their aspirations with the country’s national interests.
“I challenge you to be heroes and heroines riding on your individual attributes and the realities of the current times. It is in this context that the theme of this meeting. Just like the yesteryear generation, you too have a weighty responsibility that falls upon your shoulders. Ours was a generation whose blood, sweat, and sacrifice are found on the national flag. You, being part of the vanguard of our revolutionary mass party, Zanu PF, are called upon to unapologetically defend our independence, unity, freedom, and peace.
“As sons, daughters and descendants of those brave Zimbabweans, I challenge you to ask yourselves what you can do in service to our beloved motherland, Zimbabwe. Your parents and forebears made their individual decisions and choices to fight for Zimbabwe. The baton has been passed to you,” President Mnangagwa said.
He said the current generation of African leaders remained committed to ensuring that future generations inherited a continent that was united, peaceful, industrialised, integrated and more prosperous.
Looking ahead, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabweans should draw inspiration from the country’s liberation heritage and use it as a foundation for building strong and responsive institutions, productive enterprises and resilient communities.
He said the country’s economic development efforts should ultimately create a national economy capable of supporting and sustaining future generations.
New Ziana
