First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa yesterday had a
heart-to-heart interface with female former freedom fighters from Bulawayo,
Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces, who expressed willingness
to return to school and contribute meaningfully to the country’s economic
development.
The meeting, which was the first of its kind and a
precursor to countrywide interfaces between the female former combatants and
the First Lady, comes at a time when the latter is advocating for the creation
of a Freedom Fighters Day in line with other countries in the region.
Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa have such days
on their calendars.The First Lady is also pushing for the establishment of a
school for female war veterans, who said some of them never went to school
after the war.
Amai Mnangagwa said the former combatants needed to assume
leadership positions.
She urged them to come out in numbers to march against
sanctions on October 25, a day set aside by the SADC bloc to call for the
unconditional removal of the illegal embargo.
“I want to thank you for coming out in your numbers so that
we have a heart to heart talk as women,” she said.
“You are important to us for you liberated this country.
However, the war is not over yet, we have another war on the 25th (of October)
where we will be fighting against sanctions.
“We want the sanctions imposed on our country to be
removed. They have caused untold suffering. We also want to thank SADC for
standing with us in this fight.”
She said women should support the anti-sanctions march as
it was not “about a certain political party, this is about our nation
Zimbabwe”.
On the issue of education, Amai Mnangagwa said those who
wished to go back to formal education would be given vocational training.
“You should remain united as female former fighters so that
when you speak, you speak with one voice for your benefit and for the benefit
of the country.
“You should also do your projects in groups and this is
only achieved if you are united,” she said.
At yesterday’s meeting, the First Lady brought
representatives from the women’s bank and urged women to utilise the bank and
to work with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium
Enterprises Development.
War veterans’ secretary for women’s affairs Cde Margaret
Sithole thanked the First Lady for remembering them.
“Amai has shown us the true meaning of love. This has never
happened to us since we got our independence having a heart-to-heart discussion
with the First Lady.
“The meeting was a first of its kind. She has rolled out
projects for us and we are so grateful; we were not expecting this and it came
to us as a surprise.
“As a listening mother, she listened to all our concerns
which she promised to forward to the President. Amai will conduct similar
meetings in all the country’s provinces,” said Cde Sithole.
Amai Mnangagwa promised to pass the concerns of female
former combatants to President Mnangagwa. She rolled out goat-rearing projects
for former fighters in Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces. She
also donated sewing machines for those from Bulawayo who are expected to start
producing reusable sanitary pads.
Wives of war veterans and war collaborators later joined in
the meeting.
Minister of State for Bulawayo Judith Ncube and war
veterans secretary in the Politburo Cde Douglas Mahiya also attended. Chronicle
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