Online Reporter
Gibson Mhaka and Ryan Sibanda
AS Zimbabwe prepares to commemorate Heroes’ Day next Monday, efforts to preserve the country’s liberation heritage are increasingly moving beyond annual commemorations towards building permanent institutions capable of safeguarding the nation’s collective memory for future generations.
The Heroes’ Day photographic exhibition held at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) in Bulawayo on Monday reflected this broader national shift. Rather than being simply another commemorative event, the exhibition demonstrated how universities, archives, the media and liberation war veterans are becoming partners in ensuring that Zimbabwe’s liberation history is continuously documented, interpreted and passed on to younger generations.
Held under the theme “Lest We Forget: A Visual Journey of Sacrifice and Liberation,” the exhibition brought together academics, journalists, archivists, liberation war veterans and hundreds of school pupils in an inter-generational dialogue that underscored the importance of preserving authentic historical records.
As the generation that directly participated in the liberation struggle continues to age, preserving first-hand experiences has become increasingly urgent. This has elevated institutions such as the National Archives of Zimbabwe, universities and the media into strategic custodians of national memory, ensuring that historical accounts are documented before they are lost.
The exhibition illustrated that preserving liberation heritage today extends beyond collecting historical artefacts. It now encompasses oral history, digital archiving, academic research and journalism, all working together to ensure Zimbabwe’s liberation narrative remains accessible, authentic and relevant.
Officially opening the exhibition, ZANU PF Bulawayo Provincial chairman Cde Jabulani Sibanda said universities have a responsibility to nurture graduates who appreciate the sacrifices made during the liberation struggle while using education, science and technology to advance national development.
His remarks reflected an important shift in thinking — that institutions of higher learning should not merely produce skilled professionals but citizens who understand the historical foundations upon which modern Zimbabwe was built.
The liberation struggle, he observed, should be viewed not simply as a completed chapter of history, but as the foundation upon which future generations must build a prosperous and industrialised Zimbabwe.
That philosophy increasingly aligns liberation heritage with Vision 2030 by linking patriotism, education, innovation and economic transformation.
The decision by Nust to host the exhibition, therefore, represents more than institutional participation in Heroes’ Day commemorations. It demonstrates how universities are positioning themselves as centres for preserving national heritage while simultaneously preparing young Zimbabweans to contribute towards national development.
Nust Vice-Chancellor Professor Mqhele Dlodlo said institutions of higher learning have a responsibility to preserve national memory through research, heritage conservation and storytelling.
The exhibition itself reflected that approach by bringing together the university’s Department of Information Management and Archival Science and the Department of Journalism and Media Studies.
The collaboration highlighted the increasingly complementary relationship between archival science and journalism. While archivists preserve historical evidence, journalists help transform those records into stories that remain accessible and meaningful to society.
Prof Dlodlo’s tribute to the late veteran journalist and liberation war hero Mkhululi Sibanda further reinforced journalism’s enduring contribution to preserving Zimbabwe’s liberation history.
Through his widely respected Lest We Forget column in the Sunday News, Mkhululi Sibanda documented numerous stories of both celebrated and previously unknown liberation fighters, creating an invaluable historical record that continues to serve researchers and the wider public.
His work demonstrated that journalism performs far more than its conventional news-reporting role. Properly executed, it becomes a permanent archive that records events, preserves testimonies and safeguards national memory against distortion.
That point was echoed by National Archives of Zimbabwe director Ms Brenda Mamvura, who explained that preserving liberation heritage involves protecting far more than official documents.
Government records, newspapers, speeches, maps, manuscripts, films, photographs and oral testimonies collectively provide evidence of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle while preserving the country’s collective memory.
Equally significant is the National Archives’ ongoing programme of recording oral interviews with liberation war veterans, former political prisoners, collaborators and community leaders.
As time passes, such oral testimonies are becoming increasingly valuable because they preserve first-hand experiences that cannot always be captured through written documentation.
Together with photographs, documentaries and audio-visual material, these records provide future generations with authentic historical evidence while helping protect Zimbabwe’s liberation narrative from distortion or misrepresentation.
The exhibition also highlighted the increasingly important role being played by journalism in complementing academic research.
Speaking during a tribute to Mkhululi Sibanda, Sunday News Day Editor Vincent Gono described journalism as one of the country’s most effective tools for documenting national history.
His observations reinforced the importance of commemorative journalism in preserving stories that might otherwise disappear, particularly those of lesser-known liberation fighters whose contributions remain absent from mainstream historical records.
Professor Lungile Tshuma similarly argued that academia and journalism perform complementary functions in safeguarding Zimbabwe’s liberation heritage.
Universities generate research, interpretation and scholarship, while journalists capture lived experiences and ensure those narratives reach the broader public.
Together, the two institutions help strengthen national consciousness while providing younger generations with authentic accounts of the country’s liberation struggle.
Perhaps the strongest evidence of the exhibition’s impact came not from the speakers, but from the learners themselves.
Hundreds of pupils from secondary schools across Bulawayo toured photographic displays, documentaries and historical exhibits while engaging directly with liberation war veterans, archivists, academics and journalists.
For many, it was their first opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of the liberation struggle from those who either fought in it or documented its history.
Their responses suggested that experiential learning creates a much deeper appreciation of national history than classroom instruction alone.
Junior Parliament representative for Bulawayo Central and Gifford High School learner Joshua Chatindo said the exhibition had broadened young people’s understanding of Zimbabwe’s liberation history and demonstrated the value of direct interaction with liberation war veterans.
His call for similar exhibitions to be taken to rural and disadvantaged communities reflected the wider importance of ensuring equitable access to liberation heritage education across the country.
St Columba’s High School learner Ronewa Ndlovu similarly acknowledged that the exhibition had significantly deepened her understanding of Heroes’ Day and the sacrifices made to attain independence.
Her observations illustrate a broader reality confronting heritage institutions — many young Zimbabweans know about the liberation struggle primarily through textbooks, making exhibitions and direct engagement with veterans increasingly important educational tools.
Their experiences reinforced the exhibition’s central objective of bridging the generational divide through dialogue rather than symbolism.
They also demonstrated that preserving liberation heritage is not solely about remembering the past, but about equipping future generations with an informed understanding of the country’s historical journey.
As Zimbabwe approaches Heroes’ Day commemorations under the theme “Lest We Forget,” the Bulawayo exhibition has illustrated how preserving liberation heritage is becoming a shared national responsibility involving universities, archives, journalists, researchers, liberation war veterans and learners alike.
In many respects, the exhibition signals an evolving approach to national remembrance — one that places greater emphasis on documentation, education, research and inter-generational engagement. By bringing historical records together with living testimonies, Zimbabwe is creating enduring repositories of national memory that will continue to inform future generations long after the last eyewitnesses of the liberation struggle are gone.
Ultimately, the exhibition demonstrated that the greatest tribute to the country’s liberation heroes lies not only in commemorating their sacrifices annually, but also in ensuring that their stories remain authentic, accessible and relevant to every generation of Zimbabweans.
**Ends**
