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Chronicle Writer
Zimbabwe celebrated Heroes’ Day in events staged at various venues countrywide yesterday.
President Mnangagwa officiated at the main event at the National Heroes’ Acre in Harare while provincial ministers and other senior officials represented him at provincial and district shrines across the country.
This year’s was the 43rd edition of a day set aside for the country to remember and celebrate people who played immense roles in the liberation and post-Independence development of the country.
Thousands of people attended the events. The main event got the added significance of the burials of two national heroes — former Attorney General and Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Johannes Tomana and war veteran and former top official at the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service, Brigadier-General Milton Siziba (Rtd).
Speaking at the National Heroes’ Acre, President Mnangagwa said the late Tomana played a pivotal role in offering legal advice during the early stages of land reform.
“We have now acquired our land and the land reform programme is irreversible,” he said.
He lauded Brig-Gen Siziba for his examplary role in the liberation struggle and in the development of the country since Independence in 1980.
In an interview at Manyame Airbase on Sunday, Zanu-PF Politburo member Colonel (Retired) Tshinga Dube thanked President Mnangagwa for according Brig Gen Siziba national hero status.
“He was an officer who highly motivated others. He was born in 1951 and trained as an officer cadet at Khatima in Zambia and began his command career from there,” said Col (Rtd) Dube who worked with Brig-Gen during and after the struggle.
“He was a commander of a battalion and became a logistics officer. When we came home in 1980, he joined the ZNA and rose through the ranks until he became a Brigadier General.
“We are very delighted that the President chose to give him this status; we are very proud of him. He was a decent officer and worked very well before and after independence.”
The President also conferred honours on a number of luminaries.
A total of 103 former liberation struggle non-combatants and war collaborators from Matabeleland North Province yesterday received Presidential Independence Bronze Medals in recognition of their sacrifices and contribution during the war.
The medals were handed over to the recipients by the Matabeleland North Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Cde Richard Moyo, during the Heroes Day commemorations held at the Lupane Provincial Acre.
Thousands of people among them senior members of the uniformed forces, Government officials, traditional leaders, and politicians, attended the event.
The medals were awarded in terms of Section 2 of Warrant 1 of 1980 as published in Statutory Instrument 216G of 1980.
As notified by General Notice 1302A of 2023, the Independence Medal in bronze, in terms of Section 3(1) of Warrant 1 of 1980, states that the independence medal in bronze may be awarded to any person or group or category of persons nominated by the President.
There were 32 non-combatant cadres and 71 war collaborators.
Online Reporter