Zim to pay ex-political prisoners unbudgetted $200bln

Zim to pay ex-political prisoners unbudgetted $200bln

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By Njabulo Ncube

THE government could soon lavish a $200 billion compensation windfall on former political prisoners, detainees and restrictees who participated in the 1970s liberation war, seven years after a similar award to former combatants wreaked havoc on the fiscus.

A Bill paving the way for the compensation of ex-political prisoners, restrictees and detainees of Zimbabwe's war of liberation is likely to be gazetted next Friday, amid revelations the government could fork out $10 million each to a 20 000-strong group of former war victims, among other perks.

Impeccable government sources said that the law authorising the payment of gratuities to the ex-political prisoners, restrictees and detainees would certainly be enacted when Zimbabwe's Parliament resumes sitting next month.

Parliament officials indicated that the proofs for the Ex-Political Prisoners, Detainees and Restrictees Bill were at the Government Printers while independent sources said the Bill would be gazetted next Friday.

Paul Mangwana, the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, also confirmed to this newspaper yesterday that the law was in the offing, adding that the draft Bill had long been considered by the government.

Mangwana said through the law, government would award a monthly pension, education and medical allowances. The education and medical allowances would also be availed to dependants of the former political prisoners, restrictees and detainees.

Mangwana, however, declined to discuss the financial implications of doling out unbudgeted funds to the former prisoners, restrictees and detainees, a rag-tag grouping considered by President Robert Mugabe's critics as part of the government's shock-troops in the same league with the war veterans.

"Government is giving them (ex-political prisoners, restrictees and detainees) compensation through an Act of Parliament. The Bill should be passed into law when Parliament gets back to business as from October 5, 2004," said Mangwana.

"It is not a matter of demands, we are giving them benefits and those that we feel are entitled to gratuities will get them. I cannot give you any figures on the amount of gratuities to be paid because the Act does not provide figures," he said.

However, representatives of the Zimbabwe Ex-Political Prisoners, Restrictees and Detainees Association (ZEPPREDA) disclosed that they had demanded a one-off payment of $10 million each, a monthly pension of $5 million each, free education for children, burial assistance and land.

They said although between 5 000 and 6 000 members had been vetted, the total figure of likely beneficiaries hovered around 20 000 people that had been registered through out the country's 10 political provinces.

They added that the government had indicated it would meet most of their demands, especially the financial aspects.

The group contends it played a key role in the country's liberation, complementing combatants, and has long complained of being disregarded by government in terms of compensation.

Zimbabwe's war veterans, led by the late Chenjerai Hitler Hunzvi, arm-twisted the government in 1997 until the state pumped out about $2.7 billion as compensation.

Sources also said payments for those already vetted were likely to be effected before Christmas, barring any complications in the vetting of would-be recipients.

"We expect the Bill from the Government Printers anytime. There is a likelihood that it will be gazetted next Friday unless there are delays being experienced at the printers," said a government source.

Vetting of the ex-political prisoners, restrictees and detainees is being done through prison records.

The sources said it was likely the government would agree to the demands of the grouping, which is a key political organ in the ZANU PF scheme of things, considering that parliamentary elections were less than seven months away.
Financial Gazette
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