Online Reporter
Remember Deketeke
Herald Correspondent
The Independence Flame left Harare for Maphisa this morning, marking the beginning of this year’s Independence Day commemorations.
The flame will make its first stop in Masvingo later in the day before proceeding to Zvishavane, and is expected to arrive in Zezani, Beitbridge, on Friday.
After reaching Zezani, it will be paraded in Matabeleland South Province and expected at Maphisa on April 17 ahead of Independence celebrations.
The symbolic flame, which embodies Zimbabwe’s hard-won independence, is being taken across various districts as part of efforts to engage communities and honour the sacrifices of liberation heroes.
Curator of Liberation Heritage in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Ms Rumbidzai Bvira said the flame carries deep historical and national significance.
“The Independence Flame was first lit on April 17, 1980, on the eve of Zimbabwe’s independence, and it has remained a powerful symbol of our nationhood and sovereignty,” she said.
“It represents the courage, unity and sacrifice demonstrated by those who fought for the liberation of this country. As it moves across the country, it reminds us that Zimbabwe is alive and that the spirit of independence continues to burn brightly.”
This year’s hosting of the national commemorations in Matabeleland South reflects Government’s deliberate decentralisation policy under the Second Republic, which rotates major national events across provinces to accelerate infrastructure development and stimulate local economic activity in historically marginalised areas.
The flame, travelling from Harare and accompanied by roadshows, arrives as a visible symbol of national unity and the Second Republic’s decentralisation drive.
