BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA
War veterans in Mashonaland East on Wednesday demanded that their pension benefits be raised to match salaries of serving army lieutenant-colonels.
Speaking during a public meeting by the Calisto Gwanetsa-led Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Security held at Mbuya Nehanda Hall in Marondera, war veterans said the current economic conditions have eroded their meagre earnings, hence a hike of at least $2 000 or an equivalent to a lieutenant-colonel’s salary would suffice.
One of the war veterans, Victor Chinyama said their current $313 monthly pension payout was a disservice and mockery to the welfare of the liberation fighters.
“The current benefits of $313 is too little for our welfare. It is not enough given the current inflation rate. We need our monthly monies to be raised to an equivalent of a lieutenant-colonel’s salary. Some are saying it’s around $2 000 or somewhere there,” he said.
The portfolio committee is currently on a nationwide tour conducting public hearings on the welfare of war veterans following a petition handed over to Parliament by a 1970’s disgruntled liberation war fighter who cited neglect of the group.
A popular Marondera war veteran Patrick Makombe weighed in and charged that their current earnings are illegal.
“According to the War Veterans Act, the current earnings of $313 is illegal. Those in authority know about it. The legal position is that a war veteran is entitled to
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$2 000 per month. Let us follow the legal procedures, the current earnings are illegal,” Makombe said.
Some of the war veterans bemoaned the current harsh economic conditions that has seen some of their ailing members failing to earn a decent living as well as accessing medical care.
War veterans have been continuously demanding favours from the central government among them more money and land. In the late 90s they were given $50 000 each with some of them later being allocated pieces of land during the 2000 land reform programme.
