By Patience Gondo
WIDOWS of liberation war veterans have appealed for financial allowances, saying they are struggling to survive and have grown weary of repeatedly submitting documentation without receiving support.
The plea was made during a War Veterans League meeting on February 13, at Beitbridge Club district attended by war veterans associations, affiliates, executives, non-combatant, detainees and widows ,collectively referred to as members of the House of Liberation.
The meeting heard the War Veterans League had secured a 300-hectare mining claim in Insiza District, presented as an empowerment initiative open to all House of Liberation members willing to participate in mining.
The mine is intended to improve livelihoods and create opportunities for economic self-sufficiency among liberation war veterans and their families.
However, widows of war veterans are concerned that mining was not a practical solution for their immediate welfare needs.
The chairlady of the widows Winnie Ndlovu said they had complied with administrative processes in anticipation of assistance to no avail.
“We are tired of filling papers with no money coming through,” she said, appealing for direct financial allowances to help them meet basic needs such as food, healthcare and education for their children.
Some war veterans also raised reservations about the mining initiative, citing their advanced age and declining physical capacity.
Samuel Mulaudzi Provincial Chairman said many veterans are no longer in a position to undertake demanding mining work and instead required financial assistance.
“Our bodies no longer allow us to go to mines. We are now old. We need allowances so that we can send our children to school, eat and also go to the hospital,” he said.
Concerns were also raised about past empowerment initiatives that did not yield expected benefits.
One veteran said a previous mining allocation in Sigodho had not improved their livelihoods.
“We were once given a mine at Sigodho. We suffered and nothing came, not even gold. We are tired. We need money in our accounts, not mines,” he said.
Members also expressed frustration over what they described as unfulfilled commitments made over the years.
One veteran said he had received numerous promises without tangible outcomes.
“I have had 46 promises and not even one came through. We are tired,” he said, calling for practical and immediate support measures.
In addition, members appealed for the decentralisation of welfare distributions, saying accessing assistance at provincial level was costly and difficult.
Rudzani Muleya said transporting food hampers to district level would ease access.
“I can’t travel to Gwanda to get a portion of a food hamper. It’s better the hampers come to Beitbridge since we will be near,” she said.
The meeting highlighted the need for continued engagement between the War Veterans League and members of the House of Liberation, with widows and veterans emphasizing the importance of direct financial support to improve their welfare and dignity.