More than 80 ex-Zipra properties identified

Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter

EX-ZIPRA combatants have identified and listed more than 80 of their properties resolving to appoint a board that will spearhead further processes in consultation with the Government as instructed by President Mnangagwa.

At a feedback meeting held at Stanley Square in Bulawayo yesterday, Cde Volta Moyo who chairs a 13-member committee tasked to look into the properties said they have identified more than 80 of their properties and have submitted their findings to Zanu-PF Vice-President Kembo Mohadi.

“So far, we have identified over 80 properties that we have submitted to Vice-President Kembo Mohadi through Col (Rtd) Tshinga Dube who is our convener. Today we were briefing our comrades on how far we have gone since we were elected on January 28. There are a variety of properties ranging from farms, mines, resort areas, houses, businesses and enterprises from across the country,” he said.

He said the committee has been elevated to be a board in order to spearhead the recovery process.
“We proposed to the comrades to give us the mandate and power to upgrade into a board. Of course, everything goes with some challenges and for us it was finances as we are not a properly financed committee.

We thrive to do our job in the best interest of our comrades through some small funding and we were mainly dependant on our convener Cde Tshinga Dube and some few rentals we get from rented properties like Castle Arms. The comrades have been highly co-operative as you saw even the turnout in this meeting. They see this opportunity as the only way that can uplift their lives,” he said.

Col (Rtd) Dube said Vice-President Mohadi had engaged with him and the committee who gave further instructions that include upgrading the committee into a board.

“We came here to report back on what we have done. We facilitated a meeting after the committee was set to meet Vice-President Mohadi. Following the compilation of the list, Vice-President Mohadi then gave us several instructions and one of them directing us to seek permission from the comrades who are the major shareholders to give the committee power to be a board. The other instruction given was that these properties must be categorised,” said Col (Rtd) Dube.

When the country gained independence and the Zipra combatants returned home, they were sent to seven assembly points in different parts of the country. The former freedom fighters then contributed $50 each for the purposes of purchasing farms, buildings, and other commercial entities.

However, due to the teething problems that the country went through between 1982 and 1987, some of the properties were confiscated by the Government led by then Prime Minister, Cde Robert Mugabe.

The Second Republic has, however, engaged with the ex-Zipra combatants and is in the process of ensuring that the war veterans recover their properties in line with President Mnangagwa’s policy to address all issues arising from past conflicts. — @nyeve14