Online ReporterFreeman Razemba
Online Reporter
THE Zanu PF Heritage Group Trust, established to protect and preserve the historical and cultural significance of the ruling party, has identified five mass graves of liberation war heroes in Chingwizi, Chiredzi and is planning decent reburials.
The trust also seeks to assist war veterans, their children and youths through various projects and safeguard the party’s history, ideology and materials related to the struggle for independence.
In an interview, the head of the Heritage Group Trust research department, Cde Shadreck Chikwanda, confirmed that they recently travelled to Chiredzi, where they were assisted in locating the mass graves by traditional leaders in the area.
“In continuation with the trust’s priorities, we travelled to Chingwizi, Chiredzi in Masvingo Province after receiving information about these mass graves in that area, and we located them as well as their families with the assistance of traditional leaders.
“Some of these graves are in mountains and we are now in the process of letting these fallen heroes rest in peace after receiving decent burials with the assistance of the Government and traditional healers,” he said.
Cde Chikwanda said that among these graves are also those of trainees who died during the liberation struggle.
He said they also managed to interview a former farm worker who was employed as a tractor driver, who also confirmed that he was the one who used to transport some of the bodies of those brutally murdered during the liberation struggle, to these mass graves.
“During the liberation struggle, some of these comrades used to cross to and from Mozambique through these areas before some of them were captured, shot and killed in such a painful way.
“Meanwhile, the trust is now speeding up the reburial processes and is also appealing to stakeholders to assist with hearses, all-terrain vehicles and funds to rebury these fallen comrades,” Cde Chikwanda said.
He said some of the remains have been exposed on the ground from the shallow graves due to weather conditions.
