Online ReporterAs Zimbabwe commemorates the 46th Heroes Day tomorrow and Defence Forces Day on Tuesday, Vice President KEMBO MOHADI says the country is intensifying efforts to preserve the legacy of the liberation struggle through the rehabilitation of the heroes’ shrines, recognition of all liberation war participants and the promotion of patriotism among younger generations. In this wide-ranging interview with Zimpapers’ Deputy National Editor AFRICA MOYO, VP Mohadi reflects on the significance of this year’s commemorations, which are running under the theme “Lest We Forget”, and outlines the Government’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the liberation heritage.
***************
Q: Honourable Vice President, may you start by telling us the importance of celebrating Heroes Day and the Defence Forces Day each year?
A: Thank you very much. This year’s Heroes Day theme, “Lest We Forget”, is a solemn reminder that a nation which forgets its history risks losing its identity, values and hard-won freedoms. Celebrating Heroes Day and Defence Forces Day is vital because it anchors us in our true identity. These commemorations honour the supreme sacrifices made during the protracted liberation struggle to reclaim our land and sovereignty.
By celebrating our Heroes and Defence Forces days, we will be remembering our history.
We honour those who liberated Zimbabwe and celebrate those men and women in uniform for their unwavering commitment to defending our hard-won independence, unity and territorial integrity for generations to come.
These commemorations also provide an important opportunity to educate future generations about our history. Young Zimbabweans must understand that the freedoms they enjoy today came at a great cost. “Lest We Forget” challenges every generation to preserve the values of sacrifice, resilience, unity, hard work and patriotism that characterised our liberation struggle.
Q: Last year, you toured regional countries that hosted Zimbabwe’s freedom fighters during the war to assess the state of shrines where heroes and heroines perished during the liberation struggle. May you give us an update on what has happened since then?
A: Following my regional visits to countries such as Zambia and Mozambique last year to assess the state of our liberation struggle shrines, I am pleased to report that significant progress has been made towards the rehabilitation and improvement of these sites.
Through the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Government has stepped up the rehabilitation, upgrading and preservation works at these historical sites. This ongoing process ensures that the sacred resting places of our heroes and heroines properly reflect their immense sacrifices and are preserved as enduring monuments of our shared regional history. Tremendous work has been done in Zambia, at Freedom Camp, Nampundwe, Mkushi, Kavalamanja and St Mary’s Cemetery. In Mozambique, work has been done at Changara 1 and 2, Chibavava, Espungabeira and Chimoio, among other shrines. Of note, we are not attending to the shrines alone, but also bringing amenities to communities around these sites, for we appreciate that they were negatively impacted by the war for hosting us.
Government remains committed to ensuring that no hero or heroine is forgotten, whether they rest here at home or in neighbouring countries that provided sanctuary during our liberation struggle. Sites in Angola, such as Boma, will be attended to. As we move forward, we shall continue working closely with our sister republics in the region to safeguard these invaluable liberation heritage sites for the benefit of present and future generations.
Q: There is a growing call to ensure all heroes and heroines who participated in the liberation struggle get due recognition for their efforts, notwithstanding their level of participation. What Government plan is there for this to happen in the foreseeable future?
A: Indeed, the Government of Zimbabwe fully appreciates that our liberation struggle was won through the collective sacrifice of countless men and women from all corners of the country. While some paid the ultimate price on the battlefield, many others contributed in different but equally significant ways as combatants, war collaborators, political mobilisers, couriers, spirit mediums, traditional leaders and ordinary citizens who provided food, shelter, intelligence and other forms of support to the liberation movements.
Government is fully committed to ensuring that all participants of our liberation struggle are recognised.
Through the Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs, Government has rolled out comprehensive nationwide verification and mop-up vetting exercises specifically targeting war collaborators and non-combatant cadres. This ensures that all deserving contributors are registered under the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act [Chapter 17:12], clearing the path for them to receive their rightful recognition, welfare support and national benefits.
As we go into the Heroes and Defence Forces Day celebrations, independence medals will be issued to our veterans of the liberation struggle.
It is Government’s firm conviction that every genuine contribution to the liberation of Zimbabwe deserves recognition and preservation within our national history. The liberation struggle was a people’s war, and every Zimbabwean who made a contribution has a place in that proud history. As we commemorate Heroes Day under the theme “Lest We Forget”, we reaffirm Government’s commitment to preserving the legacy of every deserving son and daughter of Zimbabwe who contributed to our liberation.
The greatest tribute we can pay them is not only to remember their sacrifice, but also to build the peaceful, united, prosperous and sovereign nation for which they fought. In that regard, Government will continue to pursue initiatives that ensure our liberation history remains complete, inclusive and faithfully preserved for generations to come.
Q: Relatedly, the Government has consistently emphasised that no hero or heroine should be forgotten regardless of where they are buried. What measures are being put in place to ensure that provincial and district shrines receive the same level of attention and maintenance as the National Heroes Acre and the mass graves in regional countries such as Angola, Mozambique and Zambia?
A: Government is fully committed to preserving the dignity of every liberation hero and heroine by ensuring provincial and district shrines are maintained.
While the National Heroes Acre remains our foremost national shrine and symbol of our collective liberation history, Government equally places significant importance on provincial, district and community shrines.
These sites are repositories of our local history and preserve the memory of many brave men and women whose sacrifices inspired their communities and contributed immensely to the attainment of our independence.
To this end, Government, through the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, is strengthening the whole-of-Government and whole-of-society approach when it comes to sites of historical significance.
If you recall, as we host our independence commemorations, attention to these sites is one of the activities that is undertaken.
Graves and the ambience at provincial and district heroes’ acres and related shrines are being standardised and rehabilitated.
As Government, we remain committed to preserving our liberation heritage in all its dimensions because our history is our identity.
Indeed, “Lest We Forget” is not merely a theme for this year’s commemorations; it is a national commitment to honour every sacrifice, preserve every story and ensure that the legacy of our liberation heroes and heroines continues to inspire present and future generations.
Q: As Zimbabwe commemorates Heroes Day 2026, what message would you like to convey to Zimbabweans, particularly the youth, on the importance of visiting these shrines, learning the country’s liberation history and upholding the values of unity, patriotism and national development that the fallen and living heroes fought for?
A: As we mark Heroes Day 2026, my general message to all Zimbabweans is one of remembrance, gratitude, patriotism and hope, and specifically to the youth, my message is that of:
a. Learning our history: Our youth must actively seek to understand our liberation heritage. A nation that forgets its history loses its direction, but a youth informed by the struggle becomes the bedrock of our future;
b. Upholding core values: The values that drove our fallen heroes and heroines — unwavering patriotism, selflessness and national unity — must guide our daily lives;
c. Driving national development: Freedom was won so we could build our own country. Today, the new frontier of patriotism is economic liberation, innovation and unity of purpose as we work towards Vision 2030, guided by His Excellency, the President, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s philosophy, “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo”. I urge our youth to visit these shrines, learn the stories of those who lie there and carry forward the torch of unity, peace and hard work.
Q: Lastly, Honourable Vice President, two previous ZANU PF conferences came up with a resolution that July 1 be declared a National Holiday in honour of national hero Dr Joshua Nkomo. In July this year, Dr Nkomo’s family also called for the day to be declared a public holiday. How far have both Government and party processes gone in ensuring that this is achieved?
A: That is a very important question. Let me start by saying that both ZANU PF and Government hold the legacy of “Father Zimbabwe”, Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, in the highest regard. He occupies a unique and enduring place in the history of our nation. His immense contribution to the liberation of Zimbabwe, national reconciliation and the promotion of peace and unity is beyond dispute. His legacy continues to inspire generations of Zimbabweans.
As you have rightly indicated, the proposal to have 1 July recognised as a national public holiday in honour of Dr Joshua Nkomo has been raised through various platforms, including resolutions of the ruling party and more recently by members of the Nkomo family. Such expressions reflect the high esteem in which the late Vice President and national hero is held by many Zimbabweans.
Government treats matters relating to national commemorations and public holidays with the seriousness they deserve. Proposals of this nature are considered through the appropriate Government processes and within the framework of the country’s laws and established procedures.
Likewise, resolutions adopted by the party are processed through its structures before they are taken forward through the relevant Government channels where appropriate.
While I am not in a position to pre-empt the outcome or timing of those processes, I can assure the nation that the contribution of Dr Joshua Nkomo to Zimbabwe’s liberation and nation-building remains fully recognised and deeply respected.
Government remains committed to preserving and promoting his legacy, together with that of all our national heroes and heroines.
