The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
CHILDREN of ZPRA ZAPU (COZZ), a diaspora based initiative has handed over a consignment of foodstuffs for elderly veterans of the liberation struggle in Bulawayo.
The organization which was represented by Mr Felix Silundika son to late National gero Cde Tarcisius Malan George Silundika handed over 50 food parcels consisting of mealie-meal, cooking oil, rice, chickens, an assortment of vegetables and face masks.
This initiative was founded by the surviving children and family members of ZAPU and veterans of the struggle who put together resources to assist those in need in Zimbabwe.
“We realized that we needed to inject a good Christmas Spirit in the families of veterans who fought in the war of independence. We asked teams in Bulawayo to identify those that need assistance as we realized that some of the veterans were not getting the assistance that they need due to one reason or the other. We then came up with this facility to assist those families in need,” said Mr Silundika.
He added.
“Most of the heroes we are helping today have not received their recognition, honor and respect that they deserve and now as they reach the twilight of their years we felt we needed to find a way to cheer them up this Christmas.
“This is a project that we want to take forward and assist as the diaspora and we want to also form a strong team that will be based here in Zimbabwe that will be spearheading this project for us without support though,”.
Mr Silundika said there is a reservoir of goodwill that exits in the diaspora that wishes to assist these people who participated in the struggle and not limited to ZPRA veterans.
“We would like to put together projects that can help these special people. We would like to work with local groups to have interaction with the view to establish a strong bond between the diaspora and locals.
The idea came about in the last two months and you can see what such a short period of time can bring out, this is not much but a taken of appreciation of your efforts to liberate the country,” he told beneficiaries.
He encouraged the veterans to document their war diaries for the benefit of future generations.
Retired Lieutenant Colonel Miclote Ncube who is the secretary for ZPRA Veterans Trust said the gesture came at a good time when many of the veterans are failing to provide for their families as they are retired and without any form of income generating projects.
“We are elated but this gift that has come at the right time for many of the veterans, we are hoping to get the recognition we deserve and also get assistance as we are retired form service and many are on pension but we cannot adequately provide for the nation,” he said.
Present at the handover ceremony were Mr Zephania Nkomo from Mafela Trust, Retired Colonel Lwazi Tsheza the chairman of the ZPRA Veterans Trust and Ms Sithembile Ndlovu from the Dumiso Dabengwa Foundation who coordinated the activities and distributed the food parcels. @NyembeziMu
