The Sunday News
THE Zimbabwe War Veterans Trust has started a cattle fattening project at Winter Block Ranch in Nyamandlovu area in Matabeleland North Province courtesy of a $100 000 loan secured from Cabs Building Society.
Members of the Trust, led by board chairperson Retired Brigadier General Collin Moyo, toured Winter Block Ranch yesterday after which a progress report on various other projects being run by the trust was presented by board members.
The trust has 290 head of cattle at the ranch which it is leasing from the Cold Storage Company (CSC).
In an interview on the sidelines of the tour, Rtd Brig- Gen Moyo said the cattle fattening project and many other income-generating projects around the country were meant to provide income for the trust’s members and their families.
He bemoaned the plight of liberation war veterans and urged Government to work on improving their welfare.
“We are fattening cattle for resale and the idea is to be able have a fund that will assist our members with their financial needs. We want to establish a revolving fund that will assist our members with loans to start their own projects.
“Most war veterans are struggling to send their children to school and ends are generally not meeting for most of them,” he said.
Rtd Brig-Gen Moyo said the trust had also started other income-generating projects such as crop production in Mashonaland West, East and Central provinces.
He said the trust also endeavoured to venture into mining to consolidate its efforts on raising income for the ex-combatants.
Members of the Trust pay monthly subscription fees of $55 which Rtd Brig-Gen Moyo said would be used to finance the income-generating projects.
Last year the trust clashed with members of Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association, after the national association warned war veterans against subscribing to the Trust.
When the Trust started members were told that they were guaranteed loans ranging from $10 000 to $30 000 or agricultural mechanisation equipment of the same value, serviceable over a period of five years.
However, Rtd Brig-Gen Moyo said the promises which were made by the ousted Basten Beta-led executive were not visible.
He assured members that their monthly subscriptions would not be abused. The trust is targeting to mobilise 30 000 war veterans to subscribe.
