NEW: Govt crafts Bill to rebury war heroes

Richard Muponde

Zimpapers Politics Hub

THE Government has crafted a Bill to facilitate the exhumation, repatriation and reburial of thousands of liberation war heroes that still lie in unmarked mass graves within the country and abroad.

The proposed legislation is being reviewed by Government lawyers before it undergoes the necessary processes until it is tabled in Parliament.

Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs Minister Monica Mavhunga confirmed the development during a press conference in Harare on Thursday.

She said the Bill is part of an ambitious State-led programme to bring closure to families of fallen heroes and preserve the memory of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle.

“As we continue to look after surviving veterans, it is not lost on Government that there is a need for memorialisation through repatriation, exhumation, reburials and related processes,” said Minister Mavhunga.

“This legislation is a key step towards fulfilling the promises made by comrades during the war that no one would be left behind.”

This initiative comes ahead of the Heroes and Defence Forces commemorations scheduled for August 11 and 12, respectively, which honour the men and women who sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence.

Minister Mavhunga said the exhumation and reburial processes are complex and require coordination among multiple Government ministries, veterans’ associations, political leadership, traditional authorities, ZANU PF and even foreign governments.

“The ministry has approached the Office of the President and Cabinet to provide guidance on a coordinated approach,” she said.

“We are working hand-in-hand with the Ministries of Home Affairs; Local Government (and Public Works), Foreign Affairs (and International Trade) and other stakeholders to ensure this is done in a dignified, inclusive and nationally guided manner …

“We are engaging neighbouring countries to assist with the identification and possible repatriation of our fighters. In cases where repatriation isn’t possible, we will ensure their resting places are marked and preserved.”

Minister Mavhunga also acknowledged efforts by trusts such as the Fallen Heroes Trust of Zimbabwe (FHTZ) and traditional leaders who have already been working to locate and exhume bodies, particularly in provinces like Masvingo, Hurungwe, Sanyati and Rusape.

“I want to sincerely appreciate the work being done by the trusts, traditional leaders and communities who have kept this memory alive. Their role in identifying graves has been invaluable,” Minister Mavhunga said.

In an earlier interview, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe emphasised the Government’s unwavering commitment to honouring all fallen heroes, regardless of where they died.

“These gallant sons and daughters are still our heroes. Whether they lie at the National Heroes Acre or in the bush, they are the foundation of our independence,” Minister Kazembe said.

“We are crafting not only policy but also a historical correction. The journey towards their reburial has begun.”

Minister Mavhunga reiterated that fallen heroes beyond Zimbabwe’s borders would also be honoured.