Online Reporter
George Maponga
Masvingo Bureau
A SENIOR army officer has challenged Zimbabweans to defend the country’s independence and sovereignty at all costs as a way of paying homage to illustrious sons and daughters who paid the ultimate price for the country to jettison the colonial yoke.
Zimbabwe National Army Major General Simo Maseko yesterday said the country’s independence did not come on a silver platter, imploring Zimbabweans to uphold the legacy of living and fallen heroes who gave their all for the sake of freedom.
Major General Maseko was speaking at 4 Infantry Brigade Headquarters at the funeral parade of the late ex-Director of Army Public Relations, Retired Colonel Claudious Makova, who died last Sunday at Hippo Valley Medical Centre in Chiredzi.
Retired Colonel Makova (76) died after being ill for a month and was declared a provincial hero in honour of the role he played in Zimbabwe’s struggle for independence and his service to the nation in the post-independence era.
ZNA 4 Infantry Brigade held a military parade presided over by Major General Maseko, where the late freedom fighter and senior army officer was honoured.
Rtd Col Makova was also a former two-time legislator for Bikita West constituency.
Major General Maseko hailed Rtd Col Makova for his unwavering commitment to defending Zimbabwe’s independence and sovereignty, even after independence in 1980.
He also paid tribute to the late Retired Colonel for remaining steadfast in the face of neo-colonial machinations by the country’s detractors.
“We must not forget the sacrifices he (Rtd Colonel Makova) and other heroes and heroines made for the freedom of our motherland, Zimbabwe. We must defend what they stood and fought for, we must defend Zimbabwe’s independence and sovereignty at all costs,’’ said Major General Maseko.
‘’We must uphold the principles and values that the late Colonel (Retired) has left behind. To the late Colonel, we say you were one of our finest senior officers, you raised the bar of patriotism so high that the nation is in a period of mourning following your untimely passing on.’’
Rtd Col Makova was hailed for his patriotism and professional conduct whose bedrock was honesty, humility, loyalty and leadership.
In 2001, he helped Zanu PF to reclaim the Bikita West parliamentary seat from the opposition MDC and at the time of his death he was a member of the Zanu PF National Consultative Assembly.
He was also a sugar cane farmer at Mkwasine Estates in Chiredzi.
Rtd Col Makova will be buried tomorrow morning at his farm in Mkwasine where his body lay in state yesterday. He is survived by his wife Georgina and six children.
