Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) war veterans have condemned the arrest of their colleagues in Harare for demanding that the Government improve their welfare.
Police on Tuesday arrested 39 war veterans, who wanted to petition President Emmerson Mnangagwa over the ZWL$16 000 monthly pensions they were receiving from the Government.
ZPRA chairperson Ben Ncube urged President Mnangagwa’s government to stop embarrassing the impoverished war veterans and instead address their grievances. Said Ncube:
Government should not wait to be pressured. It is the mandate of the government to cater for the welfare of war veterans. This is a genuine grievance.
It is embarrassing, and shameful to see liberators of this country being arrested with an intention of making them rot in jails for raising concern over their welfare.
We have been reduced to destitutes by this government.
Meanwhile, the ex-combatants were on Friday released on Z$5 000 bail each by a Harare magistrate.
They are being accused of participating in an illegal demonstration with the intent to promote public violence.