Online Reporter
Africa Moyo in Maputo, Mozambique
VICE-PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi arrived in Maputo last night to continue Zimbabwe’s programme of assessing liberation war shrines in the region, with a view to taking corrective action where necessary to ensure departed freedom fighters rest in dignity.
He landed at Maputo International Airport shortly after 6PM, where he was received by Mozambique’s Minister of Combatants Nyeleti Mondlane, Mozambique’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe Carvalho Muária, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Mozambique Dr Victor Matemadanda and other senior Government officials.
VP Mohadi was coming from a similar exercise in Tanzania, which was preceded by visits to Zambia and Angola.
The visit is part of the Government’s efforts to document and preserve the legacy of the liberation struggle fighters and honour fallen heroes and heroines buried in foreign lands.
In an interview, Dr Matemadanda said one of his key assignments from President Mnangagwa upon becoming Ambassador was to locate both identified and unidentified graves of freedom fighters who died during the liberation struggle.
“We have done this in almost all the provinces, save for one, Nampula province, where we have not gone because there is continuous war, but in the other provinces we have covered, we have identified graves and have also taken co-ordinates of where the graves are,” he said.
“We then sent reports to the President on what we had discovered and recommended what we thought should be done. And it is from these reports that the Vice-President has been assigned to visit and see for himself these sites.”
Some shrines are well-maintained, while others remain neglected. Dr Matemadanda stressed the need for proper burials in some cases.
“So, the Vice-President is coming in that regard so that he sees and makes recommendations to the President on the way forward about the state of the shrines,” he said.
Today, VP Mohadi will begin his programme with a courtesy call on Mozambican Prime Minister Maria Benvinda Levy, where they will discuss strengthening bilateral relations rooted in a shared liberation history.
He will then travel to Chimoio in Manica Province, which served as a key Zanu headquarters and training base during the liberation struggle. Chimoio housed several camps, including Parirenyatwa, Chindunduma, Percy Ntini, Chaminuka and Zvidozvevanhu.
The area carries painful memories of the November 23, 1977 Chimoio massacre, when over 1 200 people were killed after an attack on about 10 000 comrades who were on parade. VP Mohadi will also tour the Doroei refugee camp, where many liberation fighters perished from hunger, disease and lack of proper medical care.
“Quite a lot of people died and were buried in very shallow graves. It was painful that someone already hunger-stricken had to bury another who had died of hunger,” said Dr Matemadanda, adding that trees have since grown on some of the graves.
On the following day, VP Mohadi is expected to fly to Vilanculos, a coastal town in the Inhambane province, where he will visit the Tongogara Cenotaph and Maternity Clinic, constructed in honour of the late liberation icon General Josiah Magama Tongogara, who perished in a horror crash on December 26, 1979.
President Mnangagwa is set to officially hand over the maternity clinic to Mozambicans, who have requested Zimbabwe’s assistance in running it for two years while training their personnel for a smooth takeover. Zimbabwe is currently acquiring furniture for the facility. Dr Matemadanda noted that Mozambicans have been maintaining the liberation shrines without pay, a gesture that reflects the deep bonds of solidarity between the two nations, cemented by shared sacrifices during the liberation war.
As Zimbabweans fought against colonisers, some Mozambicans were also killed, just like in Zambia.
