Online Reporter
Gibson Mhaka in Maphisa
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa is today expected to unveil a historic Memorial Tree Park at Mahetshe Primary School in Matabeleland South, a landmark initiative that weaves together the nation’s liberation heritage with environmental conservation.
The ceremony, which marks Zimbabwe’s 46th Independence Anniversary, will see the planting of 46 Natal Mahogany (Trichilia emetica) trees, representing each year of the country’s freedom since 1980.
The project is described as a “living monument” designed to honour iconic heroes of the liberation struggle, both living and departed, while mainstreaming environmental issues into thenational developmental agenda.
The tree-planting exercise will be led by the Presidium and senior government officials, with each Natal Mahogany—known locally as Umthunzini—dedicated to a specific luminary of the struggle.
Minister of Defence and Zanu-PF National Chairperson, Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, will plant a tree in honour of the late founding President, Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe, while Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga will plant in memory of the late nationalist Jason Ziyaphapha Moyo.
Vice President Col (Rtd) Kembo Mohadi will honour Dr Samuel Parirenyatwa, the pioneer physician and patriot, and First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa will plant a tree in memory of the mother of the nation, Mama Johanna MaFuyane.
Other notable participants joining the proceedings include the Minister of Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Matabeleland South, Cde Albert Nguluvhe, who will honour the late Cde Simon Khaya Moyo, and the Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Evelyne Ndlovu.
Former ZIPRA commander and liberation war hero Cde Moffat Hadebe will also take part in the exercise. Representing the future of the nation and the continuity of this legacy, the Head Boy and Head Girl of Mahetshe Primary School will plant trees to mark the 46-year milestone.
Speaking ahead of the proceedings, Forestry Commission Information and Communications Manager, Ms Violet Makoto, said the establishment of the park is a significant milestone in documenting the country’s history through nature.
She noted that the memorial park at Mahetshe Primary School will allow the nation to tell the story of these iconic figures, where they came from, and how they contributed to the liberation of Zimbabwe.
Ms Makoto highlighted that having tree planting on the agenda for independence commemorations ensures a lasting legacy and shows that conservation is being integrated into the country’s most topical issues.
Furthermore, Ms Makoto pointed out the symbolic link between the nation’s birth and its conservation history, noting that the first National Tree Planting Day was established on December 6, 1980, the same year Zimbabwe attained independence.
She expressed satisfaction that 46 years later, tree planting remains high on the developmental agenda. She added that the involvement of the Presidium at such a high level serves as testimony to the country’s commitment to keeping its forests in good status, ensuring that forest resources remain a priority for national development.
