Houses built for war veterans as part of the recently-launched Presidential War Veterans Rural Housing Scheme in Manicaland have been described as “matchbox structures”, and a mockery to the sacrifices made by the country’s former fighters during the war of liberation.
The housing scheme which was launched by Presidential Advisor Paul Tungwarara seeks to provide decent accommodation and solar energy solutions to thousands of rural-based veterans of the liberation struggle.
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Last weekend, Secretary for the War Veterans League, Douglas Mahiya, officiated at the launch of the housing scheme that was held at Dewedzo High School in Makoni West, Manicaland Province.
And, reacting on social media, Zimbabweans said the donated houses are an insult and mockery to the country’s war veterans.
In one stinging post on X (formerly Twitter), Kudzai Mutisi, who is a rabid critic of Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Government, wrote:
“The sad part is that these matchbox structures won’t even reach their intended beneficiaries. If 10 War Vets per province get them it will be a miracle. Tungwarara will go back to President @edmnangagwa and report that War Vets are very happy, so happy they want you to stay in power until 2090.”
Added Mutisi:
Look, the War Veterans, who include my own father and uncles, sacrificed a lot for the nation. They definitely deserve to be rewarded for their sacrifice. However, the rewards MUST BE SUSTAINABLE. The sustainability of these rewards rest on the ECONOMIC POLICIES of the government and the depth of the rewards.
The govt of Zimbabwe gave some war veterans but DIDN’T give them title deeds to the land. The land added no value to them because they had no access to funding to make the land productive. It was a half-baked reward!
The govt of Zimbabwe gave the War Veterans $50 000 in the late 90s but it was all eroded by inflation.
Over the years, lots of initiatives to “empower” war veterans were launched but they only benefited less than 1% of the War Veterans.
In 2025, a Tungwarara is back with another initiative for War Veterans. With all the technology available, Tungwarara prefers to go around with a briefcase of US$ Cash that he displays at rallies and dishes to whoever claims to be a War Vet at that rally. He, for some unexplained reason, expects all the War Veterans in that Province to abandon their productive activities to attend his useless rallies where a tiny hamper and $200 in cash is handed to anyone who claims to be a War Vet.
The Welfare of War Veterans CANNOT be separated from the Welfare of Zimbabweans in general”.
Below, we also publish some of the reactions to the launch of the War Veterans Rural Housing Scheme.
Read on:
·Kkkkkkkk. The nation is rich of people with good ideas. But the appointed ones are crooks. I have a friend of mine, he was very sensible b4 he was was appointed Serc for mines. From his appointed date, he went rogue, never 2b seen again.- @norman_wayne
The war vets have been paid out how many times? The unbudgeted payouts in 1997 were massive and brought the Zim$ crashing down against the USD! From thereon it was downhill all the way. And remember the warvets were also paid out via disabilities ostensibly incurred from the war; well many of them LIED including amongst the elite like Joice Mujuru! 45 years later we are building garden sheds for warvets??? What happened Zimbabwe? They have also aided and abetted Zimbabwe’s decline and need to repent. Right from early on after Independence they should have been awarded liveable monthly pensions; afforded jobs and been given school fees for children. ZanuPF cannot conduct the proverbial party in a brewery!- @GuveyaChiwenga
