Story by Tafara Chikumira
THE government has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all war veterans have title deeds for their land, a move aimed at empowering freedom fighters, who played a crucial role in the country’s independence.
The government confirmed that over 600 war veterans are on land but without title deeds, promising that their documents should be processed by mid-next month under the Presidential Title Deeds programme.
Speaking at an interactive meeting with Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution and heads of government departments in Kwekwe this Thursday, the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka emphasised the government’s efforts to empower war veterans.
“The government’s policy position is that war veterans ought not to be disturbed. 632 war veterans are on land but without tenure documents and their documents should be processed by mid-next month. 129 issues related to the war veterans have been resolved. We also discussed the Independence Celebrations which are proceeding at pace and we have received a report that the VBUs have been established according to plan.”
The Minister of War Veterans of the Liberation Struggle, Senator Monica Mavhunga urged veterans of the liberation struggle who are facing challenges related to land to visit relevant offices for assistance.
“Our war veterans went to war to fight for our liberation and for us to get the land we now have. Today, we received a report that a lot of disputes related to the war veterans have been resolved and those who still have issues must go to the relevant offices and check if their names are there.”
Provincial ministers, represented by the host minister, Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Owen Ncube, applauded the initiative and all other efforts aimed at ensuring the country attains an upper-middle income society status by 2030.
“I commend these monthly meetings and initiatives for strengthening, programming and coordination of strategies that will ensure an upper-middle income society by 2030,” he said.
The Presidential Title Deeds Programme aims to ensure full ownership of land by indigenous farmers and access to financing, which is key to productivity.
