The Government has drawn a clear political line on the welfare of liberation war veterans, with Minister of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs, Hon. Monica Mavhunga, declaring that the State will not abandon those who fought for Zimbabwe’s independence.

Speaking during visits to sick ex combatants in and around Harare, the Minister said caring for veterans was not charity, but a national obligation rooted in history.

“We are leaving no veteran behind,” said Minister Mavhunga.

“This country was born through sacrifice. The freedom we enjoy today was paid for by these men and women. The State has a responsibility to stand with them in their time of need, and we will continue to do so without apology,” she added.

The visits were part of the Ministry’s ongoing programme to directly monitor the welfare of veterans, particularly in relation to medical care.

The Ministry is responsible for settling medical fees for veterans of the liberation struggle, a mandate that Minister Mavhunga said would be defended and strengthened.

“Our work is not done from offices alone,” she said. “We must see conditions on the ground, listen to the veterans themselves, and respond in practical ways. That is the instruction we have received from His Excellency, the President.”

Veterans visited included Cde Madungwe in Budiriro, Cde Munemo in Norton, Cde Susan Rutanhira in Belvedere, and Cde Zilla Mutasa in Mabvuku.

Each veteran received food hampers and essential medication provided through the support of President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.

Minister Mavhunga said the assistance reflected the President’s consistent position on the liberation struggle. “His Excellency has made it clear that independence is not a ceremonial memory,” she said. “It is a living responsibility. That is why the President continues to support initiatives that protect the dignity and wellbeing of war veterans.”

In Budiriro, dozens of war veterans gathered to welcome the Minister, creating a strong show of solidarity and political unity. Speaking on behalf of the group, one veteran said the Second Republic had restored respect for those who fought in the struggle.

“We have seen a difference,” said the veteran. “The President has remembered us. Our children are being assisted with education, our medical bills are being covered, and our voices are being heard again.”

Another veteran, Cde Sibanda, spoke emotionally about the Ministry’s role in helping him reclaim his land after it had been illegally occupied. “I had lost hope,” he said. “But the Ministry intervened. Today I am back on my land. That is dignity restored.”

Veterans also used the opportunity to make further demands, calling on government to consider the employment of their children into public service.

Minister Mavhunga said the request was legitimate and aligned with the broader empowerment agenda.

“Empowerment is not just about the veteran,” she said. “It is also about the future of their families. We are engaging other arms of government to ensure that the children of veterans are not excluded from national opportunities.”

These efforts are reinforced by the Presidential Empowerment Fund for war veterans, which has so far been capitalised to the tune of 6.5 million. Minister Mavhunga said the fund marked a shift from welfare to economic empowerment.

“This fund is about restoring self reliance,” she said. “Veterans must not be reduced to perpetual recipients of aid. They must be producers, business people, and contributors to the economy they fought to liberate.”

As the visits concluded, the message from both the veterans and the Minister was unmistakable.

Under President Mnangagwa and the Second Republic, the liberation struggle is not being rewritten or diluted. It is being defended, honoured, and paid for through action.

“We owe them our freedom,” Minister Mavhunga said. “And we will not walk away from that debt.”