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Blessings Chidakwa
Zimpapers Elections Desk
Multitudes thronged the Joseph Msika Gala held in Glendale, Mashonaland Central last Saturday which lived up to its billing.
Joseph Wilfred Msika is National Hero and veteran politician (born December 6 1923 and died August 4 2009), and served as Second Vice-President of Zimbabwe from 1999 to 2009.
Several artistes including Chief Hwenje, Mathias Mhere, Jah Signal had a good day in office as they kept fans on their toes.
The musicians who performed on the night ushered out their artistic verve as they awakened the usually sleepy town of Glendale from its slumber.
Most sought after mbira player V Mhofu left the crowd clamouring for more just like other several artistes who performed on the night. The performance comes as the Government is rolling out commemorative music galas in all the 10 provinces aimed at honouring the late national liberators ahead of Heroes Day celebrations set for next month.
Speaking on the sidelines of a music gala that was held by held in Mashonaland Central, Chief Director Strategic Communications in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Dr Major (Rtd) Anywhere Mutambudzi said the programme was a product of the directive from the President to honour national heroes ahead of Heroes’ Day celebrations.
Apart from the stated objective, the programme is also meant to prop up the arts industry as different artistes get to find a platform to showcase their talents.
“So we are going around the country, province by province. We started in Chipinge, we went to Mapisa then Masvingo.
“We then went to Karoi and today we came to Glendale so it’s about saying our struggle was not that perfect, there were struggles within the struggle.”
Dr Mutambudzi said the programme is also meant to recognise various liberation war heroes and heroins that did not get much recognition.
“So there were individuals that were not recognised, meanwhile they played a very key role, these include Ndabaningi Sithole, James Chikerema.
“There are others that were on the limelight, but if you go into the provinces you could see that the top leadership were the ones that can be taken as having contributed the most at least.
“This is not to belittle any other contributions by any other veterans, contributions are contributions, you can’t quantify them but definitely there’s seniority.”
Dr Mutambudzi said the music gala was also meant to entertain at the same time reminding the youths about the major role that was played the late war liberators.
“This to attain a number of objectives, one of them is to prop up the arts industry so you get the service providers they start operate, the artistes themselves they start to be recognised in functions.
“We are also entertaining, we are educating and the main message is to say, we should guard the ideals of the liberation struggle the ones that brought this independence.
“Our independence is sacrosanct, it is something that we can’t temper with, we have to guard it jealously.”
Further, Dr Mutambudzi said such events were meant to instil the values of the liberation struggle.
“So by doing such events, we are sending messages especially to the youth that from the bulk of the people that come to attend, to appreciate where they came from, to appreciate that Zimbabwe didn’t come easily so we feel it is a worthy cause. We feel that we’re achieving our objectives.”
Online Reporter