Online Reporter
Remember Deketeke
Herald Correspondent
The Government will fine-tune the recently completed memorial monument and health centre in Masinga, Mozambique, dedicated to General Josiah Magama Tongogara, who died around that area in 1979, Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, General Emmanuel Matatu, has said.
He made this statement at the memorial service for General Tongogara at the National Heroes Acre.
Gen Matatu said the project, known as the Josiah Magama Tongogara Memorial Trust, had been underway for a prolonged period but required renewed Government intervention to ensure its timely completion.
“The Government, through the Ministry of Defence, has decided to take over the running of this project,” said Gen Matatu. “Our approach is to make sure it is completed and delivered to the beneficiaries within the first quarter of the year.”
Gen Matatu stated that the decision for the Defence Ministry to assume responsibility followed extensive consultations and the need to streamline implementation.
He said a framework for completion was already in place, with work scheduled to continue throughout the year. A technical team will be dispatched to the site in the first or second week of January to assess progress and establish the way forward.
“Once the assessment is done, we will put a clear protocol in place and ensure that the project moves to completion,” he said.
Gen Matatu described the memorial as part of a broader national effort to preserve the values and principles embodied by the late General, whom he described as a patriot who loved and served his country with distinction.
“These were men of strong values and principles, men who were proud of this country,” he said. “Remembering him every year is one way of reaffirming and passing on those values.”
He added that the memorial project was not only symbolic but also practical in nature, aimed at uplifting communities and contributing to national development.
“This is our contribution to the maintenance of the record and legacy of the late General,” said Gen Matatu. “It is a generous mission and it is meant to benefit the people.”
Gen Matatu said the Ministry was also engaging other Government departments, including the Ministry of Health, to ensure coordinated support for the project where necessary.
He emphasised that the takeover demonstrated the Government’s resolve to honour national heroes through tangible actions rather than words alone.
“The intention is clear,” he said. “We want this project completed, handed over and serving its purpose within the set timeframe.”
Speaking at the same event, the widow of the late Gen Tongogara, Mrs Angeline Kumbirai Tongogara, welcomed the Government’s decision, saying it would bring renewed hope to the family and the nation at large.
“For many years, this project has symbolised the unfinished business of honouring a man who gave everything for this country,” she said.
“We are grateful that the Government has stepped in decisively to ensure that his legacy is preserved in a dignified and lasting way.”
Mrs Tongogara said the memorial would serve as a place of reflection and learning, particularly for young people. “General Tongogara believed in discipline, unity and selfless service. This memorial must speak to those values and remind our children that freedom came at a great cost,” she said.
The late General’s child, Nyaradzo Tongogara-Hamphill, said the project carried deep personal and national meaning.
“As a child, I grew up hearing stories about my father’s commitment to Zimbabwe and its people,” she said. “Seeing the Government take ownership of this memorial reassures us that his sacrifices are not forgotten.”
She said the memorial would help younger generations connect with the country’s liberation history beyond textbooks.
“This is not just about our family. It is about the nation understanding where it comes from and why values like courage and service still matter today,” she said.
General Tongogara, who died in a road traffic accident in 1979 shortly before Independence, remains one of Zimbabwe’s most revered liberation commanders.
His leadership and strategic acumen were instrumental during the armed struggle.
Government officials said the takeover of the memorial project aligns with broader efforts to rehabilitate and protect national heritage sites linked to the liberation struggle.
The Ministry of Defence is expected to work closely with other Government departments and local stakeholders to fast-track the completion of the memorial and formally open it within the set timeframe.
Once completed, the memorial is expected to stand as a lasting tribute to General Tongogara’s life, values and contribution to the birth of Zimbabwe.
