Online Reporter
Richard Muponde
Zimpapers Politics Hub
CHIEF Wozhele of Sanyati has commended the ongoing exhumation of Zipra liberation war fighters buried in mass graves along the banks of Munyati River, describing it as a step towards national healing and honouring the country’s war heroes.
The remains in shallow, unmarked graves behind Sanyati Rest Camp since the 1970s liberation war, are being carefully unearthed in a process supervised by local authorities, war veterans and traditional leaders.
Speaking during a site visit on Tuesday, Chief Wozhele said the exhumation and impending reburial of the cadres will bring long-awaited closure to families and the community at large
“This is not just about digging up bones,” said Chief Wozhele.
“It’s about restoring dignity to those who gave their lives for Zimbabwe’s freedom. These were brave sons and daughters of the soil. They deserve a proper resting place and national recognition.”
He said the mass graves had long haunted the local community.
“For decades, my people have lived with the trauma of these unmarked graves. They have been silent witnesses to the horror of the past,” he said.
“The exhumation is a healing process, spiritually and emotionally, not only for our area, but at a national scale.”
Local residents and surviving relatives of the fallen fighters have welcomed the move, with some attending the early stages of the process. The Fallen Heroes Trust of Zimbabwe (FHTZ is expected to lead the reburial ceremonies in consultation with traditional leaders.
ZIPRA and ZANLA cadres, who were the military wings of the political parties ZAPU and ZANU, respectively, were the two major liberation forces that fought to overthrow colonial rule in Rhodesia. Many were killed in battles or covert operations and buried without ceremony or identification.
The Munyati graves are among several across the country where freedom fighters were hastily interred during the war. Calls for exhumations and dignified reburials have grown in recent years, spurred by renewed interest in preserving liberation history and addressing unresolved trauma from the war era.
Chief Wozhele urged the Government to continue identifying and reburying all fallen fighters across the nation.
