Online Reporter
Richard Muponde, Zimpapers Politics Hub
THE impending reburial of 36 Zipra war heroes by the Fallen Heroes Trust of Zimbabwe (FHTZ) marks a defining moment in the nation’s ongoing journey to honour the gallant men and women who gave their lives for Zimbabwe’s liberation.
Most of these cadres were in their teens when they died. Thirty-five have already been exhumed from Sanyati and Hurungwe, with one more, Cde Peter Venge, to be reburied at Grand Parade Farm in Hurungwe on 18 and 19 October.
The significance of this programme goes beyond the act of reburial; it is a solemn call for Zimbabwe to fulfil its unfinished duty of exhuming and respectfully re-interring thousands of fallen freedom fighters.
It is estimated that more than 30,000 freedom fighters still lie in unmarked graves across the region — in countries such as Zambia, Mozambique and Angola — many of them victims of brutal Rhodesian raids.
Chairman of FHTZ, Dr Arthur Makanda, highlighted the deeply spiritual and social dimensions of this work, noting the Trust’s sensitivity to cultural traditions.
“We are going to exhume him two days before the reburial, and then his remains will come to the Grand Parade Farm shrine where they will lie in state for the two days that we will be bringing those from Sanyati and Karoi Hospital in preparation for reburial,” he said.
Dr Makanda further explained that they are experiencing more manifestations from slain cadres, both from Zanla and Zipra, pleading for a dignified burial.
“Even from our neighbouring countries — Mozambique and Zambia — we have had encounters with comrades who came to say, ‘Please don’t forget us, we also want to come back home so that we can rest in the country that we fought for.’”
This spiritual call is also a profound political and historical one. Zimbabwe owes its independence to these young men and women, many of whom were teenagers who sacrificed their futures to confront a brutal regime.
Their sacrifice remains incomplete until they are returned home and laid to rest with the dignity they earned.
A national unity project
The Second Republic has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to this sacred cause. Vice President Kembo Mohadi, who lost his own brother in the Zambian bombings during the liberation struggle, has embarked on a passionate tour of gravesites and camps in Angola, Zambia and Mozambique.
His journey reflects a deep desire to ensure that all cadres — whether Zipra or Zanla — are afforded a dignified reburial.
This exercise carries immense symbolic weight for national unity, affirming that the liberation struggle was a collective effort and that all who fell deserve equal recognition.
To institutionalise this process, the Government is drafting a legal framework to guide the exhumation, repatriation, and reburial of fallen heroes.
This legislation is crucial, as it will allow for scientific interventions such as DNA matching, providing certainty where remains resist spiritual manifestation.
This dual approach —combining spiritual guidance with scientific evidence — ensures credibility and inclusivity.
Minister of War Veterans, Monica Mavhunga, recently reiterated the centrality of this task, stressing that the Government recognises it as a moral and national duty.
“Our liberation struggle was anchored on the supreme sacrifice of cadres who did not make it back home.
“We cannot claim full sovereignty when tens of thousands of our gallant sons and daughters are still lying in foreign lands or shallow graves.
“The exhumation and reburial programme is not just about the past — it is about restoring dignity and ensuring that their memory continues to inspire generations,” Minister Mavhunga said.
President Mnangagwa, during this year’s Heroes Day commemorations, also addressed this vital matter.
“As a people, we must never forget the heroes and heroines of our liberation struggle. The ongoing programme of exhumations and reburials is a reminder that our independence was bought with blood.
“As long as one comrade still lies in an unmarked grave, our duty remains unfinished. We must therefore accelerate this process, working with our communities, our spirit mediums and our institutions, to ensure that all our heroes are laid to rest in dignity in the land they fought to liberate.”
His words place this programme at the very heart of the nation’s identity.
A call for collective action
The work of the FHTZ is invaluable. The Trust has mobilised resources, moulded bricks for graves, and is preparing for the large ceremony in Hurungwe.
“We are looking forward to buying standard coffins so that we give them decent reburials… we expect a gathering of plus or minus 600 that will witness the reburial, so we need things like food, water and fuel,” said Dr Makanda.
This highlights the urgent need for a clear Government budget and partnerships with NGOs and the private sector to sustain and scale up this work.
Globally, many nations have undertaken similar projects to honour their fallen. Russia continues to exhume and rebury soldiers from World War II. Vietnam has repatriated the remains of thousands of its soldiers. The United States conducts extensive programmes to recover and identify soldiers missing in action from past wars.
Zimbabwe must similarly institutionalise this programme — not only to provide closure for families, but as a moral obligation to its founding history.
For Zimbabweans, this task is not the sole responsibility of the Government or organisations like the FHTZ. It is a national project.
Citizens, chiefs, families and communities must rally behind this cause, recognising that these fallen fighters — many of whom were teenagers — sacrificed their futures for our freedom.
The reburial of the 36 cadres in Hurungwe is a turning point. It must galvanise a broader movement to exhume and repatriate all freedom fighters, both within Zimbabwe and beyond, to ensure their legacy is eternally honoured.
Before we get carried away, government is not doing much about this whole process. It’s a big fat lie that Government is heavily involved. In fact to put the record straight, the FHT has been struggling to fund this process since its inception while government pours exorbitant funding to the Gukurahundi project that carries political benefits to some people.