|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Survivors of the liberation war that ushered independence in Zimbabwe who are living in abject poverty are pinning their hopes on the Presidential War Veterans Scheme being spearheaded by Dr. Paul Tungwarara on behalf of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
A Spiked Online Media crew was in Masvingo over the weekend and visited Maramba Village in Ward 5, Chivi District where it visited the homestead of Mr and Mrs Sithole, veterans of the liberation struggle who are living in abject poverty.
The Sitholes live in a mud-plastered, grass-thatched hut at the periphery of Maramba Village. Advanced in age, the couple depends on charity for food and clothing. Their children succumbed to HIV and AIDS.
The couple uses a dilapidated, ramshackle brick structure as a bedroom. The news crew could not believe their eyes and praised the housing scheme meant to give decent accommodation to the veterans of the war of liberation.
“I am originally from Chipinge. I came and settled here in Chivi where I was herding cattle for one of the wealthy businessmen many years ago. I met my wife, my long-time girlfriend from the liberation struggle whom I met when we were operating in the Gaza Province during the war of liberation.
“I would like to thank President Mnangagwa for coming up with the Presidential War Veterans Housing Scheme. This will certainly alleviate us from the squalid conditions we are living in,” Mr. Sithole said.
Such is the predicament that most of the war veterans find themselves in.
Obert Mazhetese, a fellow villager in Maramba Village came out guns blazing against popular people whom he said were abusing social media to undermine the genuine housing scheme meant for the welfare of the veterans of the liberation war.
“I wish people like lawyer and politician, Fadzayi Mahere would come on the ground and witness the poverty and squalor that our war veterans live in. Instead of posting rubbish in the comfort of air-conditioned offices on Twitter and Facebook, they should appreciate efforts by President Mnangagwa and Dr. Tungwarara of improving the welfare of war veterans,” Mazhetese said.
The War Veterans Rural Housing Scheme is a game-changing initiative that will provide housing for Zimbabwe’s heroes. As a pilot project, 100 houses will be built in each province under the Presidential War Veterans Housing Scheme, and more projects to empower war veterans are in the pipeline.
