SPEECH
BY
THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST SECRETARY OF
ZANU PF, CDE. E. D. MNANGAGWA
AT THE 4TH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE
WAR VETERANS, EX-POLITICAL PRISONERS, DETAINEES AND RESTRICTEES LEAGUE
HARARE
17 JUNE 2026
Pamberi neZANU PF.
Pamberi nekubatana.
Pamberi negwara remusangano.
Phambili leZANU PF.
Phambili lokubambana.
Pasi nemhandu.
Vice President and ZANU PF Second Secretary,
Hon. Gen. (Rtd) Dr. C. G. D. N. Chiwenga;
Vice President and ZANU PF Second Secretary,
Hon. Col. (Rtd) Dr. K. C. D. Mohadi;
National Chairman of ZANU PF and Minister of
Defence, Hon. Cde. O. C. Z. Muchinguri-Kashiri;
Secretary General, Hon. Cde. J. F. N. Mudenda;
Secretary for the War Veterans, Ex-Political Prisoners,
Detainees and Restrictees League, Cde. D. K. Mahiya;
Deputy Secretary for War Veterans, Ex-Political
Prisoners Detainees and Restrictees League,
Cde. H. Moyo;
Politburo and Central Committee Members;
Comrades and Friends.
It is my singular honour and privilege to address this 4th National Assembly of the League of War Veterans, Ex-Political Prisoners, Detainees and Restrictees.
This gathering is critical and timely as we consolidate our nation’s independence, sovereignty and democracy, while also scaling up the implementation of projects towards a higher quality of life for our people.
Collectively, we remain the living testimony of Zimbabwe’s indomitable revolutionary spirit as well as the resevoir of our Party’s ideology and rich liberation war heritage.
Your bravery and courage during the protracted armed liberation struggle forms a solid foundation upon which we stand tall today, as a proud and independent people.
Along with the generality of many communities, you bore the weighty chains of colonial oppression, and equally endured the cruelty of imprisonment, detention, torture as well as inhumane treatment.
Zvaida vakatsunga moyo/ Kwa-ku-dinga abantu aba- le-zi-bi-ndi. May this rich history never be forgotten, but remembered by generations to come.
We also meet today following the successful celebration of the 46th Independence Day commemorations held in Maphisa, Matabeleland South Province. I applaud and thank all those who mounted the excellent drills exhibited at the National celebrations. The displays were emotional, connecting us to history, proclaiming that we fought and conquered and shall forever remain free and independent.
We are here to serve and remain true to our long-standing duties and obligations to our beloved motherland, Zimbabwe and Party, ZANU PF. This solemn responsibility should continue to unite and bind us, the veterans of the armed liberation war as one indestructible League.
Our role as the guiding compass within our revolutionary mass Party, ZANU PF must not be taken for granted.
To execute this duty with uttermost revolutionary commitment, it is critically important that we work with greater unity, integration and singleness of purpose.
We should be above reproach. The values that saw us successfully wage the armed war of liberation should be preserved as well as transmitted to the other Leagues of the Party.
My Fellow Comrades;
As you are aware, our colossal mass revolutionary Party, ZANU PF, is a Party of discipline and order. Hence, the Party Constitution is the benchmark against which all decisions, actions and programmes of the League should be examined. Similarly, the collective decisions and resolutions, which we collectively formulate through various |Party organs and structures are important instruments for accelerated modernisation and industrialisation of our beloved motherland, Zimbabwe.
It is, therefore, most opportune that this National
Assembly of the War Veterans League convenes at a time when our country is consolidating the gains of independence. As war veterans, we all have a role to play in the ongoing national development agenda. Under the Second Republic, we are a listening Party and Government; we will never neglect the liberators of this great country.
It is pleasing that this 4th National Assembly of the War Veterans League, is convening under the theme; “Empowering War Veterans; Securing Land Title for Lasting Legacy and Prosperity’
. This highlights the important linkage of our liberation struggle, land and security of ownership. I, therefore, challenge today’s meeting to objectively discuss matters in line with sustainable projects and programmes for the dignity of all Veterans as well as the overall development and prosperity of our nation.
Land is the birth-right of our people, and the sacred inheritance for which many fought and sacrificed.
By securing land title for our veterans, and the rest of our communities, we are cementing the foundation of our sovereignty. Additionally, we are empowering veterans as well as the nation to guarantee that the sacrifices of the past are recognised.
Comrades;
As we reflect on the activities undertaken since our last Assembly, let us take stock of what has been achieved and what must still be done to advance pertinent aspects that affect the Party, our country and the League as a whole.
It is commendable that, so far, the War Veterans Pension Scheme is being appropriately resourced, while the housing project is ongoing. In keeping with our quest to preserve and safeguard the rich liberation heritage, exhumations and reburials are being conducted with dignity, in line with our customs and the law.
I commend the Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs, Fallen Heroes Trust and other stakeholders, for the work being undertaken in this critical area.
I applaud you all, our Veterans of the Liberation Struggle, for the unity of purpose you are demonstrating with regards to ongoing Party mobilisation and the subsequent strengthening of our grassroots structures.
These achievements must help renew our commitment to the people’s revolution and entrench the popularity of our colossal mass revolutionary Party, ZANU PF.
I, further, urge us to fulfil our duty and obligation as Party members, with regards supporting, defending and popularising Party policies, programmes and projects.
We must be a light to the other Leagues and never put the Party into disrepute. Party ino inenhorowondo. Musangano uno ndeweruzhinji. Hakuna munhu anogona kuisa muhomwe. Isuvarwi verusununguko,takamuwana uripo. Ngatichengetedze ZANU PF. Musangano ndewedu tose, War veterans, Women and Youth Leagues, nevatsva varikuwuya, along with registered affiliates.
The Party also belongs to many others within our nation and beyond, who associate with the Party’s revolutionary policies, development-oriented programmes and people- centred ideology. We are a mammoth revolutionary movement where all Zimbabweans are welcome. ZANU PF leaves no one and no place behind.
As we prepare for the Party’s forthcoming National Cell Day, it is my expectation that the War Veterans League, will be available and visible to provide the requisite Party ideological grounding, leadership and guidance to the membership of our Party.
It is at the Cell/Village level, where we must continue to entrench the correct line of the revolution and Party principles, systems and procedures as outlined in our Party Constitution.
Comrades;
Today, I am pleased to announce that we are scaling up
ongoing projects and programmes. These include;
a) Expansion of the War Veterans Family Wealth Trust
Fund;
b) Securing land title deeds and support for productive
land use;
c) Specialised Health Centres for Veterans of our
Liberation Struggle;
d) Entrepreneurship Skills and Capacity Building
Programmes, Scholarships and V ocational Training;
e) Housing Schemes;
f) Support for War Veterans of the Liberation Struggle
led-enterprises and integration into value chains; and
g) Facilitating access to affordable financing;
Going forward, empowerment programmes, which ZANU PF is championing, will continue to be anchored on strong governance, transparent resource management and coordination, as well as the use of digital systems for efficiency.
I challenge, national and provincial structures, of the Party, including the War Veterans League, to always embrace good governance as the standard norm.
Under my leadership, the welfare of our veterans is inseparable from that of their families. As such, measures are in place, to sufficiently cater for the welfare of widows, children and dependants. These include comprehensively updating the Registry of missing revolutionary fighters and speeding up the exhumation and reburial exercise.
Comrades;
Our protracted armed liberation struggle for independence was part of a global revolutionary movement. Through strong partnerships, with other Liberation Movements, let us continue to popularise and defend the ideals of Pan Africanism, unity and shared development for the people of Africa and the Global South.
In this respect, I encourage the League to incorporate programmes that promote regional and international solidarity, as required by Article 2, of our Party Constitution.
Equally, we must expose as well as reject neo-colonialism, including all forms of hegemonic tendencies. Cross border Forums for the War Veterans must keep the African Union agenda alive to promote African unity, freedom and the quest to silence the guns on the Continent.
Calls for deepening integration, increasing local value addition and beneficiation of our God given mineral resources, should be continuously amplified and diligently implemented by the entire Party membership.
My Dear Fellow Comrades;
I encourage us to push forward towards our shared desire and responsibility to bequeath to the nation, and the youth in particular, the ideals of patriotism, loyalty, hard honest work, consistency and persistency.
In doing so, we must deliberately inculcate and nurture inter-generational solidarity for the realisation of one national vision.
Our national character trait as a united and peace-loving people, should never be tampered with. From Plumtree to Mutare, Zambezi to Limpopo, we are diverse but one indivisible unitary country. This must be preached by the League wherever we go.
Likewise, the strength and popularity of our revolutionary mass Party, ZANU PF, lies in unity, mobilisation and keeping our communities galvanised. Let us reject all tendencies that divide the Party.
The spirit of comradeship that bind us, should never be abused. All our individual and collective actions must advance the overall interest of the Party and nation. Unity, Peace and Development remain our strong shield.
On the other hand, robust and responsive mobilisation strategies are our revolutionary weapons. These must be deployed by the League, and Party at large, to continually win the hearts, minds and trust of the generality of the people of our great motherland, Zimbabwe.
In concluding, I call upon the National Assembly of the War Veterans League, in your pending discussions, to advance strategies for overall Party unity and growth.
The empowerment, development and prosperity, of all communities in our country should equally pre-occupy this meeting.
I, therefore, look forward to recommendations that will help address present socio-economic realities and opportunities, for economic growth as well as lifting many more of our people into a higher quality of life
With these remarks, it is now my honour and privilege to declare the 4th National Assembly of the War Veterans League officially open.
I wish us fruitful deliberations.
Pamberi ne ZANU PF.
Pamberi nekubatana.
Pamberi negwara remusangano.
Phambili leZANU PF.
Phambili lokubambana.
Pasi nemhandu.
God bless you all.
God bless Zimbabwe.
I thank you.