COMMENT: Honouring of heroes, heroines from early wars most welcome Queen Lozikeyi Dlodlo

A MAN who does not know where the rain began to beat him cannot say where he dried his body.”

This Igbo proverb popularised by the renowned Nigerian author, the late Chinua Achebe raises the importance of history in forging a people’s future.

Importantly, the proverb highlights the need to interrogate the issues that led to the circumstances they find or once found themselves in and how those issues inspired a desire to change the status quo.

Achebe points to the Berlin Conference of 1885 a precursor to the colonisation of African nations by countries in the global north as the beginning of problems that afflicted Africa.

“The rain that beat Africa began four to five hundred years ago, from the ‘discovery’ of Africa by Europe, through the transatlantic slave trade, to the Berlin Conference of 1885. That controversial gathering of the world’s leading European powers precipitated what we now call the Scramble for Africa, which created new boundaries that did violence to Africa’s ancient societies and resulted in tension-prone modern states. It took place without African consultation or representation, to say the least,” writes Achebe in his memoir titled There Was A Country: A Personal History of Biafra.

Similarly, the rain began to beat Zimbabwe since colonisation leading to a number of wars of resistance by the native blacks culminating into the war of liberation that brought Independence in 1980.

The country’s struggles, however, did not end after the attainment of Independence as post-liberation, it has had to deal with many challenges including a sponsored regime change agenda by the opposition.

It is, therefore, important to revisit the history of Zimbabwe to remind, especially the younger generations of the things that matter to the country. The national interest.

It is in that regard that President Mnangagwa, in his Heroes Day speech on Monday said, the Government is engaged in a programme of erecting statues of eminent liberation icons from the First and Second Chimurenga/Umvukela to immortalise their supreme sacrifices towards the liberation of Zimbabwe.

He said in a move that should rekindle national identity, pride, dignity, and culture, the Government is also reviewing the list of national monuments to include battle sites, national and provincial Heroes’ Acres, Assembly Points as well as former detention and restriction centres.

“In this regard, the mounting of the statue of Mbuya Nehanda in Harare, our Capital City, will immortalise the supreme sacrifice that was paid by our forebears,” said President Mnangagwa.

“The location of this statue carries added historical meaning because the intersection of Samora Machel Avenue and Julius Nyerere Way is the spot where Mbuya Nehanda used to rest and drink water from a river that flowed at the site.”

He said other heroes and heroines from the early wars of resistance will also be honoured in a similar manner.

“Among them is General Mtshana Khumalo, who commanded the Imbizo Regiment, under King Lobengula, that defeated the Allan Wilson Patrol at the Battle of Pupu on 10 December, 1893,” said President Mnangagwa.

He said other distinguished heroes and heroines of the First Chimurenga/Umvukela such as Sekuru Kaguvi, Chaminuka, Mkwati, Queen Lozikeyi Dlodlo, Chinengundu, Mashayamombe, Mgandani Dlodlo, Chiwashira, Muchecheterwa, Chingaira Makoni, and Mapondera, among others, will be accorded appropriate recognition.

From the Second Chimurenga/Umvukela, President Mnangagwa said, the late General Josiah Magama Tongogara and General Alfred Nikita Mangena, Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe, Cde Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo and Cde Simon Vengesai Muzenda, among others, will also be honoured.

“We must as a people appropriate our liberation war heritage and shape the narratives by telling our own journey to freedom and independence. As such, my administration shall expedite the documentation of the story of our liberation struggle and the associated historical heritage,” said President Mnangagwa.

“The programme of renaming roads, buildings and prominent public infrastructure with names reflective of the country’s history is ongoing and a key feature of our Liberation War Heritage.”

The President said the list of national monuments is being reviewed to include liberation war shrines such as the 1893 Pupu Shrine, the 1966 Chinhoyi battle site and the Kamugoma massacre site of 1978, in Masvingo.

He said other sites such as the National and Provincial Heroes’ Acres, Assembly Points as well as former detention and restriction centres have also been made national monuments.

“Meanwhile, liberation war shrines in neighbouring Mozambique and Zambia will continue to be rehabilitated. The Sunday Mail, Sunday News and New Ziana are commended for producing Chimurenga Files,” said President Mnangagwa.

He said as part of this year’s commemorations, the Second Edition of the Honours and Awards Booklet will be published under the theme: “Celebrating 40 Years of Independence and Democracy under the Second Republic.”

“Leveraging on Information Communication Technologies, more people must have access to the grand story of our liberation including those in the diaspora.

“These initiatives must help us to rekindle our national identity, pride, dignity, and culture. Such is the heritage we must bequeath to the future generations,” said President Mnangagwa.

The importance of telling one’s history is supported by another Igbo proverb which says, “Until the story of the hunt is told by the lion, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.”

By knowing where the country is coming from, through capturing critical moments in our history, Zimbabweans move forward unambiguous in terms of what is good for the nation.

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