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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
FOR the past 30 years, Mr Tich Hwingwiri has religiously been making a journey to Midlands Provincial Heroes Acre in Gweru, joining relatives of other gallant sons and daughters of the soil buried at the hallowed grounds.

Zimbabweans commemorated the 42nd heroes’ day on Monday and Mr Hwingwiri was at the provincial shrine where his father, the late Alderman Alois Zachariah Hwingwiri, a former mayor of the city of Kwekwe from 1990 to 1992 was buried 30 years ago.

The Hwingwiri family during a soccer tournament

Flag hoisting, parades, singing patriotic songs while remembering fallen heroes punctuated the important National Heroes Day, a public holiday observed on a day in August each year in honour of Zimbabwe’s liberation war heroes and heroines.

At the Midlands Provincial Heroes Acre, there are 243 heroes and heroines buried.

Of these 214 are men and 29 women.

Mr Hwingwiri said just to show how important the day is; he has never missed the commemorations for the past 30 years since his father, a provincial hero was interred at the shrine.

The late Paul Gundani

“It’s been 30 years since my father died and we have never as a family missed attending the provincial heroes’ day commemorations,” said Mr Hwingwiri in an interview on the sidelines of the commemorations on Monday.

“Heroes day is an important day on my calendar as I take the day to remember my father and the brave people who died during the struggle for Independence. These heroes and heroines fought against colonialism, imperialism to gain democracy, self-rule, and equality,” said Mr Hwingwiri.

Desmond Maringwa

He said his father was Mayor for the City of Kwekwe from 1990 to 1992 when he died.
Mr Hwingwiri said in honour of their father, they also hold the AZ Hwingwiri Invitational U19 Soccer Tournament in Kwekwe.

“The tournament is held every year during the Heroes Day holidays in honour of my father who was the Mayor of City of Kwekwe between 1990 and 1992. He died in 1992,” he said.

“This is the tribute to our father for the sacrifices he made for the country. We never miss attending the provincial commemorations as a family. Even when one member of the family is out, he or she has to fly back in time for the commemorations.

Stanford “Stix” Mtizwa

Of late we have also introduced a soccer tourney called A Z Hwingwiri Soccer Academy Tournament which comes every August where we promote talent from among the youths so that they abstain from drugs.”

Over the years, Mr Hwingwiri as the football tournament coordinator, he has been inviting former football greats to the games as a way of motivating the young people to take football seriously.

“My father wanted to uplift the people especially the youth. So the sport tournament is used as talent identification. Football greats such as Moses Chunga have graced the tournament to give the youth tips on how to develop. At the end we give the winner and runner-up football kits and soccer balls,” he said

Other former football greats who have graced the tournament are Desmond Maringwa, Kennedy Nagoli, Stanford “Stix” Mtizwa, the late Paul Gundani and the late Stanford “Stix” Mtizwa.