War Vets Demand More Land

District chairman of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) in Nkayi, Michael Tshaliba, who was resettled in Bubi, said the sizes of land allocated to most of them were too small as they were resettled under the villagised A1 scheme.

They are now appealing to the government to allocate them bigger portions of land under the A2 commercial farm resettlement scheme.

“We have been resettled in villages in Bubi and the portions we received are too little for some of us who have bigger families,” said Tshaliba in an interview.

“We had always wanted to be given A2 farms or plots rather than being treated like anyone because war vets fought for the land and we deserve special treatment than everyone.

“We want enough land and appeal to our leaders to take this matter seriously and urge them to identify and allocate us enough land. As it is there is no future in those small portions that we got and there is no sufficient space for our children to build their own homes.”

ZNLWVA chairman, Jabulani Sibanda confirmed that war veterans in Nkayi are demanding more land.

“We are aware of their complaints and their concerns are genuine,” said Sibanda.

“War veterans were on the forefront of the land reform exercise and it is unfortunate that no one from that area was allocated A2 pieces and most of them were put on villages.“

Tshaliba also raised concern over delays in the payment of school fees under the educational support scheme for war veterans’ children.

“Our children are sent away from school because the government’s education support for war vets is always delayed and it is very difficult to trace those monies.”