Online Reporter
Nyore Madzianike, Harare Bureau
THE Government has begun major expansion and renovation works at the National Heroes’ Acre in Harare, as current burial space nears full capacity.
The works are aimed at creating additional burial sites while enhancing the shrine’s infrastructure and visual appeal, a significant and timely development, especially as Zimbabwe prepares to commemorate the Heroes Day holiday next month.
The project, expected to take three to four months, will include civil works on the eastern and western wings of the site, repairs to ablution and lighting systems and the construction of a new water feature — a decorative installation such as a fountain or cascading pool, designed to enhance the site’s aesthetic and tranquil atmosphere.
The facelift is being carried out through the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, which has engaged two contractors to undertake the expansion and maintenance works.
It also involves routine upkeep to preserve the dignity and national significance of the shrine.
The National Heroes Acre is a symbolic resting place for Zimbabwe’s liberation war veterans and national icons.
Its maintenance and expansion are vital for preserving national memory and ensuring that the site remains a fitting tribute to those who sacrificed for the country’s independence.
In an interview with our sister paper, The Sunday Mail, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Ambassador Raphael Faranisi said the civil works will not disrupt preparations or the hosting of Heroes Day commemorations.
“We have engaged two contractors through the Ministry of (Local Government and) Public Works and basically they are expanding the National Heroes’ Acre, which has a few remaining burial slots,” said Amb Faranisi.
“So, what we are doing on the eastern side of the National Heroes’ Acre, as well as the western side, are civil works to provide for more burial places.
“Then, apart from that also, we are carrying out general maintenance of the Heroes Acre, like repairing the lighting system and going forward, as we have been directed by His Excellency, the President, to improve the facilities there by way of adequate ablution facilities.”
The President, Amb Faranisi said, also directed the installation of a water feature at the site to uplift its ambience and transform it into a more serene and dignified memorial.
“We have also been directed, and the designs are already done, to have a water feature so that the ambience around our national shrine becomes more attractive,” he said.
“The civil works will take quite some time beyond the Heroes Day celebrations.
“We expect that maybe it will take three, four months.
“Then after we have done that, we will also embark on the water feature and continue with other maintenance works so that the place really looks like a national shrine where our national heroes are buried.”
While the work is projected to extend beyond the August commemorations, it is part of a broader national effort to preserve historical sites and ensure they match international standards, he said.
The authorities are also undertaking maintenance work at provincial heroes’ acres across the country.
However, Amb Faranisi said progress is often hampered by limited funding.
“It is within our mandate as the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, through the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, to maintain all heroes’ acres,” he added.
“The greatest challenge we have is getting adequate financial resources, and this is where we welcome support from any Zimbabwean, who wishes to assist us in that regard to ensure that the places where our national heroes are interred are well kept.
“Just like other countries, if you travel abroad, you will find out that those with adequate financial resources always maintain the places where they bury their national heroes.”
He commended the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion for allocating funds that have enabled the current works but noted that the support remains insufficient.
“They give us resources for maintenance, but they are far from adequate, and we do understand that there are other competing priorities in terms of national resource allocation, but we are grateful that at least we received something,” he said.
In addition to domestic sites, the ministry is also working to improve liberation war shrines outside Zimbabwe, including those in Mozambique, Zambia and Angola, where many freedom fighters were buried during the struggle for independence.
“In Chimoio, we are soon going to construct ablution facilities and also maybe an interpretive centre and this will also be done with respect to those shrines in Zambia, as well as Angola,” he said.
