BY SILAS NKALA
WAR veterans who were vetted recently in Bulawayo, now fear that they may have been fleeced of their money after they were asked to pay US$2 each to buy stationery for their registration.
Non-combatants including ex-political prisoners, detainees, restrictees and war collaborators were vetted recently to be eligible for government monthly gratuities for their role during the armed struggle.
The exercise was marred by chaotic scenes resulting in a female ex-combatant Nomathani Moyo (66) dying in a queue at Elangeni Training Centre in Bulawayo while awaiting her turn to be vetted.
Sources told Sunday Southern Eye that a meeting held at Zanu PF’s Davies hall in Bulawayo on May 2 resolved that the vetted combatants must pay US$2 each for further registration.
The meeting was attended by Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) executive members such as Zenzo Ncube and Headman Moyo.
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It was organised to deliberate on various issues such as the election of the war veterans’ leadership and renaming the ZNLWVA to embrace the non-combatants.
Non-combatants have their own Zimbabwe Liberation War Collaborators Association (ZILIWACO).
“Members are now concerned that they are being fleeced.
“They asked us to pay US$2 each and just imagine how much they will make considering the number of people who were vetted in the just ended vetting process,” a ZILIWACO member said.
“For instance if we are 10 000 who were vetted in Bulawayo, it means that they raked in US$20 000, and what more the whole country?”
Other non-combatants alleged that there was panic among ZNLWVA members who feared losing their positions once an elective congress is held.
“They told us about a lot of their war experiences to compel us to feel indebted to vote them into senior position,” the insider said.
“They were clearly in fear of losing their posts to non-combatants. The sad part of it is that they are now charging us to be registered in the association claiming that the money is meant for stationery,” the insider said.
“It was clear that all along the war vets enjoyed being alone and now that there are non-combatants who are more in number than them, they fear losing positions to them.”
Contacted for comment on Wednesday, ZNLWVA national chairman Christopher Mutsvangwa said he was attending a meeting and asked this reporter to send questions via WhatsApp.
However, on Thursday he declined to comment saying journalists were giving him headaches.
“I cannot have everyone sending questions to me,” Mutsvangwa said.
“Anyone who thinks of writing a story thinks of talking to me. Am I your ball to play around?”