The Sunday News
Sharon Chimenya, Masvingo Correspondent
THE Government has resumed the payment of school fees for children of the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle after a delay in last year’s disbursements, it has been learnt.
This emerged during a sensitisation meeting that was held at the Masvingo Polytechnic by the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Board last week.
It was highlighted during the meeting that some of the funds that were meant for the payment of school fees were channelled towards the vetting exercise.
Speaking in an interview the board chairperson Retired Major-General Gibson Mashingaidze said that the payment of the school fees is now on course with 2021, third term school fees having been cleared.
“We are lucky that the payment of school fees to the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle has been going on very well all the time. The comrades have raised it now because there has been a delay and the delay was only for last year’s third term but for now things are functioning well.
We have decentralised such that people don’t need to go to Harare to raise their issues, they will now see provincial officers and in some instances district field officers. This year there has been that outcry but funds have started to come and payments have started now,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said the board was in Masvingo to engage with the veterans of the liberation struggle and to sensitise them on the newly established Veterans of Liberation Struggle Act.
“We have found out that the majority of the comrades did not know what is involved in the act and our major role here is to fulfil our mandate to go through the provinces and meet all the veterans.
Besides the sensitisation we have to listen to them and hear their challenges. Socially we are aware that this group is the most vulnerable group in all constituents, countrywide. We are listening to their social requirements and intend to compile a record which we will submit to our ministry for further action.”
Masvingo provincial War Veterans chairman Cde Tendeukai Chinooneka said that the sensitisation programme was important as it highlighted issues of great importance.
He urged the Government to speed up projects for the benefit of war veterans.
