Let’s defeat askaris once and for all, voters urged

Governor Chidarikire urged Zimbabweans to stay focused and defeat imperialist agents once and for all during the harmonised elections this year.

He made the remarks in Chegutu during the burial of provincial hero Retired Major Shadreck Dzepasi, who died last Thursday.

Cde Dzepasi (51), whose Chimurenga name was Zifodya, succumbed to liver problems.
He was the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association district chairman for Chegutu.

Said Governor Chidarikire: “As our country is expecting harmonised elections soon, I would like to take this opportunity to urge you to remain resilient and focused.

“We should remain proud to be Zimbabweans and preserve that which nature has lavishly bestowed upon us. Let our vote be a guarantee of our total independence.”

He also reminded supporters of all political parties to shun violence before and after the polls.
“We are Zimbabweans and we should work towards the development of our country despite having different political affiliations,” Governor Chidarikire said.

“Violence has been condemned at all levels and let us campaign without provoking and assaulting each other.”

He described Cde Dzepasi as a “unifier and hard worker”.
“He benefited from the land reform programme and was a successful farmer. He tirelessly advocated the provision and development of the District Heroes Acre at Gadzema. The site, as we speak, is under construction. He made sure the Community Share Ownership Scheme benefited the war veterans during his life as chairman.”

Media, Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu said it was unfortunate that Cde Dzepasi died at a time the country was fighting for economic independence.

“He was an embodiment of the resilience in terms of our desire to continue to implement the guiding principles that were the foundation of the liberation struggle,” he said.

“His demise is unfortunate because he has gone at a time we were making efforts to revive David Whitehead and to see the improvement of operations at Elvington Mine.

“He was always in touch with us informing us of the plight of the workers.”
Minister Shamu said the gap left by Cde Dzepasi would be difficult to fill.

“It’s a challenge to those left because our revolution has got enemies within and outside the country,” said Minister Shamu.

“This is a vacuum not only in the family but the province and the nation as well. This means we need brave cadres, like him (Cde Dzepasi), to overcome all our challenges.”

Born on July 29, 1961 in Hurungwe, Cde Dzepasi did his primary education at Mudzimu School in that same area.
Due to economic difficulties caused by the Ian Smith regime, he could not proceed to secondary education. He left the country in 1977 for military training at Doroi in Mozambique.

After training he operated in Manica province mainly in Makoni and Nyanga districts.
He went for further military training in Romania before being attested into the Zimbabwe National Army at Independence. He rose through the ranks to become Major before retiring in 2005.