adminON Monday, August 10, the people of Zimbabwe celebrate the National Heroes’ Day. Zimbabweans on this day pause for sombre reflection as we remember the sacrifices our heroes and heroines made in order for the generation of today to grow and develop in a free country.
The loss of human lives in the years of the liberation struggle was enormous. Zimbabwe lost tens of thousands of guerrillas and civilians.
That is why the survivors have a moral duty to commemorate the ones who perished on the battlefields each year.
At a national level, the commemorations will be held at the National Heroes’ Acre. Commemorations will also be held in provincial capitals and their respective districts where the obligation of looking after the tombs of the soldiers buried on the territories and the commemorative will be dedicated to them.
As we spend this great day with friends and family, let us not only celebrate the day, but truly reflect on the great sacrifice so many of our military heroes have laid on the altar of freedom.
Freedom is not free and comes at a great cost, a cost our military veterans have paid for us.
Let us then commemorate their lives and their sacrifice on this precious day.
If you see a war veteran on that day or any day, stop and thank him or her for their sacrifice.
These heroes are the men and women in Zimbabwe’s history. They are the very people whose acts of bravery enabled Zimbabwe to grow as a nation.
We should honour them for their combative deeds. They gave their lives to defend Zimbabwe.
They gave their lives to defend you and me. To defend our liberation, our freedom, our economy, our industries, our education, and our emancipation as blacks, our land, our minerals and everything that Zimbabwe is made up of.
The holidays are a busy time as we spend time with family and friends. Statistics show that the 35 days between Thanksgiving and New Years is the busiest long-distance-travel period of the year. Many drivers travel 50km or more away from their hometown – more than any other time in the year.
As we all know, the Heroes Holiday is long and will be a busy one, our past experiences as a nation show that public holidays and road accidents have become inseparable.
It is important to be aware of the increased risks around the holidays and to prepare accordingly. Always make a plan if you are attending holiday festivities. We appeal for caution on our highways. Drive to arrive. It is better to be late than never.
Motorists should exercise due diligence so that this holiday ceases to be one of the most dangerous times to be on the road.
We have lost precious lives needlessly on the road during public holidays.
Many of these preventable car accidents are alcohol related.
Do not drink and drive. Instead make alternate arrangements such as a designated driver or taxi instead of drinking and driving.
Public transporters should not overload and passengers should not stampede for space in vehicles and buses that which will be already loaded to capacity.
We appeal to our law enforcement officials to arrest all road regulations offenders, impound all road-unworthy vehicles.
Police should desist from their notorious habit of being on our roads just to line up their pockets. They should be there to enforce the law and ensure that no unroadworthy vehicle go past a roadblock.
Passengers should also assist and cooperate with police by reporting any unbecoming and criminal behaviour by motorists.
Gone are the days of suffering in silence. You live only once and should do everything possible to preserve our lives as individuals first and collectively later.
Pedestrians are also at an increased risk during the holidays.
Be on the lookout.
Online Reporter