Ex-Plan combatants call for revisit of war veterans’ social economic welfare

Former combatants of the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan) in the Zambezi region on Thursday called on the government to review the welfare of war veterans.

The former combatants were speaking in an interview ahead of the Heroes’ Day commemoration scheduled to take place on 26 August at Katima Mulilo Sport Stadium in the Zambezi region.

Zambezi region coordinator for the Ex-Plan combatants’ association, Georgina Mwiya, says more than 100 members in the region are suffering and failing to cope with their living costs.

“Most of them are old and struggle with ill-health. I appeal for the government to revisit its programmes aimed at improving the social and economic welfare of our recognised war veterans,” she says.

Mwiya says the monthly war veterans’ social grant of N$2 200, or N$6 200 for some, is not enough to cater for their needs. She suggests that the government speed up the promised once-off payment of N$170 000 for every war veteran.

Mwiya crossed over into Zambia to fight in the liberation struggle in 1975 at the age of 16.

Another former Plan combatant, Claudia Simataa, who was a military radio operator in Zambia, also calls on the government to improve the living conditions of its war veterans, saying they are sickly and unable to afford medical bills, as most of them do not have medical aid.

Patrick Mwampole, also an ex-Plan combatant, also appeals to the government to increase the monthly social grants of the war veterans, saying they struggle to afford daily needs.

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