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Widows of fallen heroes spruce up the Bulawayo Provincial Heroes Acre on Tuesday

Sifundiso Ndlovu Chronicle Reporter
WIDOWS and widowers to liberation war veterans in Bulawayo have expressed concern over alleged favouritism and delays in placing tombstones on the graves of their loved ones at Nkulumane Provincial Heroes Acre.Speaking during a clean-up exercise at the provincial shrine on Tuesday ahead of next month’s Heroes’ Day holiday, Provincial Widows and Widowers of War Veterans Association chairperson Cde Sikhululekile Ndlovu said the issue of tombstones was a cause for concern in the city.

“You find that graves of people who died before 1999 don’t have tombstones while those of people who died in 2012 have tombstones,” she said.

She called on the government to urgently address the matter.

“This area is under the museums department and we call the relevant authority to immediately address the issue,” said Cde Ndlovu.

She said the clean up programme was part of preparations for this year’s Heroes Day holiday set for next month.

“We organised the clean up programme today and on July 22. We want this place to be treated with the respect it deserves,” said Ndlovu.

“We would be clearing grass and repairing graves that are in a bad state.”

Former Zimbabwe Ambassador to South Africa Cde Phelekezela Mphoko who took part in the clean up exercise pledged to assist widows of the liberation war heroes and their children to empower themselves.

He encouraged Bulawayo residents to work together to improve the provincial heroes acre.

“We need to work together to spruce up the heroes acre. There is so much that we can do if we co-ordinate our efforts,” said Cde Mphoko.

“So far we have empowered about 500 liberation war heroes’ children through various programmes. We should never expect people coming from elsewhere to come and solve our problems.”

Cde Mphoko walked around and identified some of the heroes he worked with during the liberation struggle.

“I trained with Walter Mbambo who is lying here in 1964 and we were together in the Military Planning Committee in 1965 before the formation of Zipra. I worked with a number of comrades lying here,” he said.