DODOMA: THE Ministry of Defence and National Service has formed a committee to analyse and advise on the fate of soldiers who fought the Second World War and their assets as directed by President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
The Defence and National Service Minister, Dr Stergomena Tax told the National Assembly here on Thursday that the ministry formed the committee in July last year, which established that Tanzanians soldiers who fought in the war were 737 and out of the number, 57 are alive while 680 have died.
A special committee formed to advise on the fate of Tanzanian soldiers who participated in the Second World War has advised that 15.95bn/- assets belonging to their association known as Tanzania Legion Club (TLC) be sold and the money be used to compensate to those alive and their families.
The minister was responding to a question by Sylvester Koka (Kibaha Urban-CCM), who wanted to know what the government was doing to ensure that army veterans who fought in the Second World War were compensated through TLC benefit from the assets.
The minister said that the committee has also advised that the money should be used to offer the veterans’ health insurance and their heirs.
The committee established that TCL had assets worth 37.36bn/-, where some were found to be in debts and others being owned by other organisations.
She said the committee also found that the veterans were in dire need of social support including health support.
“The committee advised that the assets be sold and the money be given to those who are alive and their heirs and also give them health insurance,” she said.
According to Dr Tax, the team also advised that the money be used to construct a memorial pillar for all soldiers who fought in the war between 1939 and 1945.
