Chronicle Editor
Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
SHE wrote her own piece of history when she was, for the second time, selected among 13 other athletes to hand over a torch to President Mnangagwa to light up the Independence Flame as the nation celebrated the 42nd Independence Anniversary on Monday.
For the first time since 1980, the 42nd Independence Day Anniversary celebrations and other commemorative festivities were held outside Harare with Bulawayo hosting the event in line with the Second Republic’s thrust of devolution and decentralisation.
This year’s Independence celebrations together with the Children’s Party were held under the theme: “Zim@ 42 — Leaving no one and no place behind.”
Ms Beatrice Elita Mandla (32), a Bulawayo-based Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) officer, was chosen for the second time to hand over the torch to the President.
In 2012, she handed over the torch to the late former president Robert Mugabe at the National Sports Stadium in Harare during the 32nd Independence Anniversary celebrations.
On Monday, Ms Mandla could not hide her excitement as she gave President Mnangagwa the torch to light up the Independence Flame, drawing rapturous cheers from the crowd gathered at Barbourfields Stadium.
The Independence Flame is an embodiment of the spirit of Independence which emboldens the nation to set aside differences and join hands as a people to celebrate the essence of sacrifice, hard work and resilience.
The spirit of Independence and all that makes Zimbabwe a sovereign nation, are symbolically captured by the Eternal Flame that was lit on Independence Day on April 18, 1980 at Rufaro Stadium.
On Monday, it marked exactly 42 years since the Flame was lit, and taken to the Harare Hill where the Pioneer Column hoisted the Union Jack on September 12, 1890, thus marking the end of colonialism.
“I was so thrilled as I entered Barbourfields Stadium together with other 13 athletes carrying the torch. However, the most exciting moment for me was handing over the torch to the President, amid a thunderous applause from a cheerful crowd,” said Ms Mandla.
“Although I once did it in 2012 in Harare when I gave the late former president the torch, what was more exciting was that I was also chosen to repeat the act under the Second Republic, which indeed was a great honour for me. I never thought that 10 years later I would be afforded that opportunity again.”
Ms Mandla said she was selected to be the torchbearer by virtue of being the only female athlete from Bulawayo.
“I could not contain my joy when they selected me to be the one handing over the torch to the President. In fact, the selection team wanted a female athlete from Bulawayo since the city was hosting the event. I happened to be the only one while others were from outside the city,” she said.
The athletes were drawn from various Government departments, four of them from ZPCS.
Ms Mandla, a mother of one, joined the ZPCS in 2008 and she is a sprinter.
Born in Mzilikazi, Ms Mandla attended Lotshe Primary and Nkanyezi Primary schools in Bulawayo before she proceeded to Sikhulile High School in Luveve suburb in the city. — @mashnets
Online Reporter