When the War Veterans Got Their Money
In December 1997, I called a friend in Gweru and asked him how things were, how the country was doing, anything that I wasn't watching on BBC or reading online already. He said he would give me an update about something I had heard or read about: the pension gratuity payouts given to Zimbabwe War Veterans by the government to stop the riots that had gripped the country. I had read about it online, had heard that the veterans had received compensation in the tune of fifty thousand dollars or more (the Zim dollar was still doing okay then).
My friend went on to tell me that he was planning to make some extra money that weekend.
"How are you going to do that?"
"There is a vet in Mkoba."
"Yes?"
"He has put an ad in the paper asking interested people to come make some money."
"But how?"
"It's an early bird special, of course."
"What is?"
"He will line up people, and for a minimum of $50.00, he will slap each one of them. But I have to be early, and I will ask for two or more slaps. Turning the other cheek, so to speak."
We laughed it off, but my friend reminded me that this was true. He could send me the newspaper cutout if I wanted. Already, many strange things were happening in Harare, Masvingo, Mutare, Mvurwi, where war veterans were going wild with excitement over the big payouts. The government, of course, was criticized for wasting the country's resources buying the support of the vets. Which group would they buy next? The villagers who had fought alongside the comrades in the 70s war? How about the teachers? All the civil servants? But it becamse evident that the support of the vets it the government had just would come in handy in the subsequent commercial farm seizures, which were violent.
Once in a while I picture the vet lining up all those Mkoba residents and slapping them because he could afford to. The violent excitement which was reminiscent of some of the Chimurenga pungwes. I didn't follow up on the story, but it is reasonable to speculate that he ran out of money sooner than he had planned.
The point of all this?
Just a reflection. A short break from composition and creative writing portfolios. But I also hear a short story calling my name....
My friend went on to tell me that he was planning to make some extra money that weekend.
"How are you going to do that?"
"There is a vet in Mkoba."
"Yes?"
"He has put an ad in the paper asking interested people to come make some money."
"But how?"
"It's an early bird special, of course."
"What is?"
"He will line up people, and for a minimum of $50.00, he will slap each one of them. But I have to be early, and I will ask for two or more slaps. Turning the other cheek, so to speak."
We laughed it off, but my friend reminded me that this was true. He could send me the newspaper cutout if I wanted. Already, many strange things were happening in Harare, Masvingo, Mutare, Mvurwi, where war veterans were going wild with excitement over the big payouts. The government, of course, was criticized for wasting the country's resources buying the support of the vets. Which group would they buy next? The villagers who had fought alongside the comrades in the 70s war? How about the teachers? All the civil servants? But it becamse evident that the support of the vets it the government had just would come in handy in the subsequent commercial farm seizures, which were violent.
Once in a while I picture the vet lining up all those Mkoba residents and slapping them because he could afford to. The violent excitement which was reminiscent of some of the Chimurenga pungwes. I didn't follow up on the story, but it is reasonable to speculate that he ran out of money sooner than he had planned.
The point of all this?
Just a reflection. A short break from composition and creative writing portfolios. But I also hear a short story calling my name....
Comments