HARARE – Pre-independence political prisoners and detainees have filed a lawsuit against government demanding gratuities of Z$6 million, arguing discussions that started in 2005 have led them nowhere.

The matter was filed in the High Court by Sanikidzai Suncall Musiyazviriyo and Charles Peter Chitewo, representatives of a pressure group called the Political Prisoners and Detainees in Pre-Independent Zimbabwe, who cited defense minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri and finance minister Mthuli Ncube as first and second respondents, respectively.

Reads their application: “This is an application first for a declaratory order that the applicant and all lawfully registered ex-political prisoners, detainees and restrictees are entitled to be paid a gratuity of Z$6 million, payable once only, in terms of Section 27 (4) of the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act, Chapter 17:12.”

“Secondly, a consequential compelling order that the two ministers jointly and severally the one complying for the other to be absolved pay applicants and all qualifying ex-political prisoners, detainees and restrictees their Z$6 million gratuity in terms of Statutory Instrument (SI)194/2005 by the day of the month succeeding the month of grant of such order.”

Musiyazviriyo said in his affidavit that the grouping was a registered Trust whose role is to “lobby or litigate to the benefit of Zimbabwe’s ex-political prisoners’ detainees and restrictees.”

Through SI 194 of 2005, the government of the late president Robert Mugabe made an undertaking to gift liberation prisoners and detainees with Z$6 million one-off gratuities payable after January 2006.

In 1997 the government had dolled out unbudgeted payments of Z$50,000 to war veterans per head, sending the economy into a tailspin.

Musiyazviriyo said all the applicants had “a constitutional right” to benefit as promised by government in 2006.

“However, the respondents jointly and severally the one breaching for the other become liable unilaterally and without any consultation nor explanation to registered ex-political prisoners, detainees and restrictees have chosen not to pay applicants the mandatory $6 million gratuities,” he wrote.

“Both respondents have appeared and acted unmoved, if not actually seemingly non-concerned with respect to payment of the $6 million gratuity entitlement.”

The matter is yet to be heard.