Online Reporter
Gibson Mhaka, Zimpapers Politics Hub
IN a show of reverence and commitment to Zimbabwe’s liberation history, Vice- President Kembo Mohadi recently embarked on a tour of liberation war sites in Tanzania, Zambia, Angola and Mozambique.
His mission was to assess the condition of these shrines and take corrective action to ensure the departed freedom fighters rest in peace.
The tours are in line with the Second Republic’s broader efforts to preserve the legacy of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle by restoring and maintaining sites of national historical importance, both within and beyond the country’s borders.
His visits revealed that the unmarked graves of freedom fighters deserve equal honour.
The tours are part of an intensified Government drive to document, rehabilitate and promote liberation heritage sites as well as reinforcing its “leaving no one and no place behind” philosophy. This mantra, often applied to domestic development, is being extended to the nation’s historical heritage.
It demonstrates a commitment to ensuring that the legacy of the struggle, including the contributions of all who participated both at home and abroad, is recognised and honoured.
During the 16-year struggle for liberation, the Rhodesian regime launched air and ground strikes against Zimbabwe’s liberation forces.
As a result, guerilla training and refugee camps in neighbouring countries were ruthlessly bombed and many of the thousands killed in these attacks were buried in mass graves.
In Zambia, VP Mohadi visited five shrines to pay homage to the Zimbabwean liberation war fighters who were brutally killed by Rhodesian Security Forces.
He toured Nampundwe, Mulungushi, St Mary’s Cemetery and Mkushi shrines, where thousands of freedom fighters were killed.
Some Zambian police officers and military personnel were also killed while trying to rescue nationalists who came under Rhodesian attacks.
In Angola, VP Mohadi visited the Boma Mass Grave in Luena, Moxico Province, where over 300 ZPRA fighters were buried following the February 26, 1979 bombings. He also met with traditional leaders and locals in the area.
In Tanzania, VP Mohandi toured the Bagamoyo Training Camp, which was later transformed into the Kaole Wazazi College of Agriculture, as well as the Liberation Museum Centre.
Tanzania played a pivotal role in supporting regional liberation movements by providing military training facilities in locations such as Mgagao, Morogoro, Bagamoyo, Kongwa and Nachingwea, among others.
Meanwhile, in Mozambique, where the Vice-President made his last visit, were about 17 shrines of deceased cadres from the liberation war. At sites like Chimoio, Nyadzonia, Tembwe, Nyangao (Beira), Tongogara Memorial Site and Changara, mass graves have been constructed.
However, at other shrines, including Madulu, Mapai, Barrage, Chibavava, Navonde, Espungabeira and Save, the remains of those who were either killed or died of illnesses are still lying in unmarked graves.
VP Mohadi noted that many of these shrines are in a state of neglect, lacking basic amenities such as ablution facilities, water sources, good road networks, rolls of honour and secure fencing.
In an interview on the sidelines of the tour at Chimoio Shrine, VP Mohadi said: “There are a lot of less important things that we can sacrifice resources in order for this initiative to be undertaken. For example, the responsible ministry, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage can make use of the money collected from gambling to ensure that boreholes, ablution facilities and other amenities are in place at these shrines.”
He expressed his belief that the nation needs to do more to honour these heroes.
“
The question from some of us who lived through this war is, are we doing enough? The answer in many circumstances is that we are not. We surely need to do more.”
To that end, he pledged that soon, all basic amenities would be put in place at these shrines so that they can be transformed into tourism products. “For example, Mutare will be hosting the Annual Zanu-PF Conference and a lot of people will be flocking this place (Chimoio Shrine) because it is near and perhaps the biggest of them all. However, many people would be ready to visit all the other shrines only if proper facilities were in place and the shrines are adequately marketed to young Zimbabweans to appreciate their history.”
VP Mohadi’s visits show that the protracted nature of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle meant that the fight for freedom was not confined to our borders.
He emphasised that the story of Zimbabwe’s liberation war must be continuously told to all citizens, especially the youth, to ensure the sacrifices made are never forgotten.
“The story of the liberation war must be told now and again to all Zimbabweans. It must be talked about in all social spaces regularly so that our young ones can understand what we mean when we say this country’s liberation war was nourished by human blood. This is what we mean.
“If this had happened in Europe it would be an everyday song. Look at the Holocaust, the German attack on Jews. Up to this day they are still talking about it like it happened yesterday.
“This is how we should make our own war for independence a crucial story. Let us not be brainwashed into thinking that this is not important,” said Vice-President Mohadi.
Thousands of young men and women paid the ultimate sacrifice on foreign soil, in training camps and refugee settlements that became sites of brutal attacks by the Rhodesian regime.
For decades, the graves of these heroes have lain neglected, far from the country they fought to liberate.
By rehabilitating and preserving these shrines, Zimbabwe is reaffirming its commitment to its history and demonstrating that the lives lost in the struggle will never be forgotten, regardless of where they fell.
Visiting these sites is crucial for national memory and unity. For many Zimbabweans, especially the youth, the liberation war is a distant historical event.
Bringing these sacred places to life through preservation and promotion allows them to connect with the immense sacrifices made for their freedom.
These shrines serve as powerful educational tools, telling the story of bravery, resilience and the solidarity of regional allies who hosted and protected our freedom fighters.
The immense contribution to Zimbabwe’s independence by those who rest in unmarked graves across the region deserves the same profound respect and honour as that accorded to heroes buried at the National Heroes Acre.
The effort to restore these shrines is a testament to the nation’s respect for all its heroes.
By visiting and assessing the condition of sites where freedom fighters were based, trained, and buried, the Government is ensuring that the sacrifices of those who fought for independence are never forgotten.
These sites are not just historical landmarks; they are sacred grounds that remind a new generation of the immense cost of freedom and sovereignty.
This act of remembrance strengthens national identity and unity, serving as a reminder that the freedom we enjoy today was bought at a very high price, paid by heroes buried both at home and abroad.
By ensuring their final resting places are well-maintained and accessible, Zimbabwe is fulfilling a sacred duty and making a powerful statement that the country will not abandon its sons and daughters who died while serving the nation, even if they lie far from home.
