Heroes Day preparations start

PREPARATIONS for this year’s Heroes’ Day and Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Day commemorations slated for 14 and 15 August respectively have started with Government set to avail buses to ferry people to various venues across the country.

Bulawayo was allocated 15 buses.

In her post-Cabinet briefing yesterday, Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the 2023 National Heroes Day will be held at the National Heroes Acre on Monday 14 August 2023, under the theme “Remembering Our Heroes – Nyika Inovakwa Nevene vayo/Ilizwe Lakhiwa Ngabanikazi Balo.”

The Defence Forces Day will be celebrated on August 15 at the National Sports Stadium under the theme “Brick by Brick, Stone Upon Stone – Zimbabwe Defence Forces: Creating a Conducive Environment for the Attainment of Vision 2030”.

She said various activities have been lined up including a musical gala and soccer tournament.

“Cabinet was briefed on the 2023 National Heroes Day Commemorations and Defence Forces Day Celebrations by the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Hon. Kazembe Kazembe, on behalf of the Chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on State Occasions and National Monuments,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

“Preparations for the event are well on course with adequate logistical arrangements for the mobilisation and transportation of members of the public to and from the venue having been made. The event will be presided over by His Excellency the President, and all the 196 heroes and heroines’ families have been invited.”

Minister Mutsvangwa said in line with the Second Republic’s devolution and decentralization ethos, provinces and districts will be allocated buses for the transportation of the public to venues of the events.

While the event will be decentralized to provinces and districts, the main Heroes Day commemorations will be held at the national shrine in Harare while the Defence Forces Day celebrations will be limited to the provincial level.

“Each of the rural provinces will be allocated five buses while each district will get one. Harare Metropolitan Province will have 50 buses and Bulawayo Metropolitan Province 15,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

She said entertainment during the Heroes Day commemorations will be provided by Maungira Enharira, Heavenly Praises Choir, and Vatumwa VaMwari while the police band will also be on standby.

A Heroes gala will be held at Vengere Stadium in Rusape, Manicaland Province on the night of 14 August 2023 with 23 artists lined up.

These include the following: Sulumani Chimbetu, Cheso Boys, the Police Band; Nicholas Zachariah, Dorcas Moyo, Agatha Murudzwa, Chief Hwenje, Ma-9ine, Bio Mudimba, DJ Fantan, Mathias Mhere, Iyasa, Michael Mahendere, Enzo Ishall, Mambo Duterere, Tambaoga, Romeo Gasa and Mark Ngwazi.

“As the nation may recall, the day will also see three citizens and one organization being honored for their outstanding achievements in service of the nation, namely: Dr. Sikhulile Moyo, Ambassador Mary Mubi, Dr. Agnes Mahomva, and the Angel of Hope Foundation. As a service to the nation during peace times, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces are undertaking numerous Community Assistance projects throughout the country,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

“These projects will be officially handed over during the Community Assistance Week. There will also be a Medical Outreach Programme during which general medical consultations will be conducted free of charge at the ZDF project to be handed over by the Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs.”

There will be a variety of entertainment on the day, which includes military displays comprising Parachute Drops, Commando Flood Rescue simulation and Taekwondo as well as military hardware exhibitions outside the National Sports Stadium featuring Artillery, Mounted and Mechanised equipment.

Musical entertainment will be provided by Alick Macheso and Chillspot Records Stable in the morning.

ZDF has invited its Malawian counterparts to contest for the Defence Forces Trophy against its soccer select team.