Online Reporter
Judith Phiri,Zimpapers Writer
As preparations for this year’s Heroes Day and Defence Forces Day are at an advanced stage, the Bulawayo business community and youth have said the two days are of paramount importance as they reflect that the freedom and peace enjoyed today came at a considerable cost.
Heroes Day is a public holiday set aside on the second Monday of August each year to celebrate Zimbabwe’s gallant heroes and heroines, both living and departed, who fought the liberation war to free the country from the yoke of white settler rule.
Defence Forces Day is marked in honour of the relentless efforts by the country’s defence forces in ensuring that peace and tranquillity prevail in the country.
This year, the 2025 Heroes Day commemorations, scheduled for Monday 11 August 2025, will be held at the National Heroes Acre in Harare under the theme: “Zim@45 Devolve and Develop Together Towards Vision 2030.” Provincial commemorations will be held concurrently across the country.
The Defence Forces Day celebrations will be held at Rufaro Stadium in Harare on 12 August 2025 under the theme, “Zimbabwe Defence Forces: Guaranteeing a Conducive Environment for the Attainment of Vision 2030,” while provincial commemorations will also be held concurrently.
In an interview, Bulawayo businessman and Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) Matabeleland Chapter past vice president, Mr Louis Herbst, paid tribute to veterans of the liberation struggle, both departed and living, for their gallant fight against the colonisers.
“As we approach the Heroes Day and Defence Forces Day next month (August), we pause not only to honour the gallant men and women who laid down their lives for our freedom, but also to recognise the continued sacrifice and dedication of our armed forces in preserving peace and stability in Zimbabwe,” he said.
“For the business community, these commemorations are a powerful reminder that the environment we operate in today, where innovation, entrepreneurship and commerce can thrive, is built upon the foundations of courage, unity and unwavering service.”
He said it was a collective duty to not only remember, but to actively contribute to the vision they fought for — which is a prosperous, self-reliant, and inclusive Zimbabwe.
Youth Network Connect (YNC) managing director, Mr Philimon Nyirenda, said the national heroes and heroines paid the ultimate sacrifice for the nation, and as youths, they were deeply indebted to them.
“Their narratives are the tales of fierce, resilient and determined heroines that played a pivotal role in the country’s liberation struggle. We need to continue economically emancipating our nation as a thank you to all of them. We do also appreciate our defence forces for the part they have and are still playing in building up our sovereign nation into a secure country,” he said.
He said youths were reaping the benefits of the sacrifices of the liberation heroes and heroines who opened doors for indigenous Zimbabweans to access various sectors of the economy that were previously a preserve of the whites.
Mr Nyirenda said these include large-scale commercial farming, mining, manufacturing and international trade (import and export), among others.
