STAFF WRITER
POPULAR Bulawayo based apostolic sect church leader Madzibaba Emmanuel Mutumwa on Sunday extended his helping hand to hundreds of children of war veterans in form of food hampers.
The children of war veterans, some of them orphans, thronged Mutumwa’s Selborne Park shrine where they received cooking oil, sugar and bags of mealie-meal.
The donation followed an appeal for assistance by the Children of Zimbabwe Liberation War Veterans Association (CZLWVA) Bulawayo provincial leadership to the clergy and other stakeholders.
The Apostolic sects’ Johanne Masowe leader Mutumwa said the church was compelled to assist the CZLWVA in honour of the sacrifices made by their parents during the armed struggle.
“The war veterans fought for our country so we felt it is necessary to support their children, regardless of their age. It is out of love that I was given this gift by God that I am helping the needy. I am doing this out of love without any ulterior motive,” said Mutumwa known for his numerous donations to Bulawayo giants, Highlanders Football Club.
Meanwhile, Zanu PF politburo member and also principal director of Herbert Chitepo Ideological College Munyaradzi Machacha who was the guest hailed Mutumwa for his philanthropy.
“Zanu PF is a party for all. Zanu PF is there to support all indigenous churches in the country, in particular, the Mapostori sect because they have stood with the party against all odds. We thank the church for donating to child-headed families of children of war veterans and as a party,” Muchacha said in his acceptance speech.
He added:
“Our doors remain open to all indigenous churches. We can always work together to address your needs such as finding land for your places of worship. You must not be afraid to approach us at any given time.”
Previously children of former freedom fighters expressed concern over the way the government has treated their parents, leading them to grow up under immense poverty despite the critical role they played in liberating Zimbabwe.
War veterans received gratuities of $50,000 each in 1997 but despite that windfall, most of them and their families are living in abject poverty.
