THE Zimbabwean government faces renewed pressure to fulfil its longstanding obligation to pay the outstanding gratuity balance owed to war veterans from 1997.
In the 1990s, war veterans escalated their demands for compensation for their sacrifices during the liberation struggle, resulting in a 1997 agreement between the government and the War Veterans Association.
At that time, the late former President Robert Mugabe said the Z$50 000 paid to each veteran, along with a Z$2 000 monthly pension, was a temporary measure due to budgetary constraints.
However, government’s failure to pay the remaining Z$450 000 has left many veterans in poverty.
Led by Chengerai Hunzvi, then chairperson of the War Veterans Association, the once powerful war veterans protested in 1997, demanding substantial payments.
The gratuities, which were not included in the national budget, contributed to the collapse of the Zimbabwe dollar and an economic downturn.
Hunzvi played a key role in pushing for these benefits, but faced arrest and persecution alongside former Zipra commander Andrew Ndlovu and other war veterans’ leaders.
Now, Ndlovu says the balance is overdue.
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Ndlovu, speaking on behalf of his fellow comrades, called on the government to honour the agreement made during the historic meeting on August 1, 1997, at State House.
Attended by the late Mugabe, the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo and War Veterans Association leaders, the meeting promised a Z$500 000 gratuity for each war veteran. However, only Z$50 000 was paid, leaving an outstanding balance of Z$450 000 per veteran.
“The balance of Z$450 000 was supposed to be cleared in instalments during yearly government budget reviews. Unfortunately, this promise was never fulfilled and instead, the government resorted to persecuting war veterans’ leaders who demanded accountability,” he said.
He alleged that the arrests were orchestrated to suppress the movement and prevent further demands for the balance.
Ndlovu highlighted that, besides the gratuity, other commitments made to war veterans — such as reserving 20% of land and economic opportunities — remain unfulfilled.
He also lamented that many veterans are still landless and live in poverty, despite having fought for the country’s independence.
“The liberation struggle was not just about attaining independence but also about reclaiming land and ensuring economic justice.
“Today, it is disheartening to see war veterans being left behind while some individuals benefit from the very land we fought for,” Ndlovu said.
He called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to address the issue of the outstanding balance to bring closure to this long-standing issue.
He argued that settling the Z$450 000 gratuity balance, adjusted to the equivalent of its 1997 US dollar value, would demonstrate respect for the sacrifices made by war veterans and align with the constitutional mandate to honour liberation fighters.
Citing section 23 of the Zimbabwean Constitution, Ndlovu stressed that the State is obligated to respect, honour, and recognise the contributions of liberation war veterans.
