Public, Private Partnerships key in preserving liberation legacies
THE record of the liberation of the country is the lens in which the coming generation will connect with the Chimurenga movement. It is because of this that its preservation should be prioritised. Among the places of priority, are provincial and district heroes’ shrines which need to be afforded the attention that has been given to the National Heroes Acre.
Of late, there have been concerns that the maintenance of these shrines could be better.
After seeing that the Harare Provincial Heroes Acre is fast becoming unkempt, a local insurance company has extended a helping hand to rehabilitate some of the graves which were in a sorry state.
Progressive Insurance is in the process of upgrading 400 graves at the Harare Provincial Heroes Acre. The company’s Managing Director Mr Hector Dzere said they felt the need to be involved in honouring the men and women who played a part in liberating the country.
“Comrades buried at these Provincial Heroes shrines played a part in the liberation of this country. Their sacrifice is what we are appreciating in our efforts,” Mr Dzere said.
He added that there was need to dignify the liberation war heroes resting places.
“People who gave their all to free this country without expecting any returns should be honoured, we felt we can play a part through sprucing up their places of rest,” he said.
Some graves were in a sorry state and the insurance company made a timely intervention just before the Heroes Holiday.
“We are supplying the materials to enable the levelling up and ramming up of the graves which were sinking.
“They will also be furnished with concrete tops,” Mr Dzere said.
There are plans to widen their acts of goodwill towards the nation’s liberation heritage sites.
“This is just the beginning, we will assess the need across the country and help out in the best way we can. We are planning to go to the Bulawayo Provincial Heroes Acre soon after this. Maybe the heroes will smile upon us for helping to fix their graves,” he said.
The Ministry of Welfare Services for War Veterans, War Collaborators, Former Political Detainees and Restrictees concedes that there is need for corporate players to help in maintaining the legacies of Zimbabwe`s liberation heroes.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Retired Brigadier General Asher Tapfumaneyi said the maintenance of provincial heroes’ shrines is a shared responsibility between the Ministry of Local Government and the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, but they are also playing a part as a ministry.
“We are carrying out interventions to try and get partners to help in maintaining the graves which house former liberation war fighters. Currently we have 440 graves at the Harare Provincial and Progressive Insurance offered material to put concrete tops on 400 of the graves,” Brig Gen Tapfumaneyi said.
The multi-stakeholder approach is poised to bear fruit as the Zimbabwe National Army is providing the manpower in refurbishing these graves.
“The army gave us engineers who are working at the Harare Provincial Heroes Acre full time to ensure that the graves are worked on with full expertise,” he said.
The other 40 of the 440 graves at the Harare Provincial Heroes Acre were already being maintained by the army, their involvement in the building of the remaining 400 brings uniformity to the shrine. Even liberation heritage sites beyond the Zimbabwean borders are being targeted by the Ministry of Welfare Services for War Veterans, War Collaborators, Former Political Detainees and Restrictees.
“We are also working on the Chimoio shrine where we are building an entrance gate and a gallery for biographies of liberation fighters. There are 22 graves each of them containing about 700 people who were massacred by the Rhodesian Forces, that is a part of history we need to preserve” Brig Gen Tapfumaneyi said.
The efforts to upgrade the Harare Provincial Heroes Shrine was applauded by war veterans in Harare Province.
Cde John Guta, the Zimbabwe National Liberation and War Veterans Association Harare Chairman said there was a need to preserve the liberation war history for the benefit of future generations.
“The graves at the Harare Provincial Heroes shrine are where the real heroes who were in the thick of things during the fight for liberation are buried,” Cde Guta said.
With prospects of a security wall at the shrine being in near sight, Cde Guta said the impending fortification will bring sanity to the place.
“A liberation heroes’ place of rest has to be respected people should not be defiling this place because of lack of security.
“We also wish that the place gets secured by the army or the police so as to ensure that there is no trespassing and maintain the sacred nature of this place,” he said.
Cde Guta appreciated the intervention to improve the place saying that it showed that the corporate world is not blind to the sacrifices made during the liberation struggle.
“We would like to thank Progressive Insurance for heeding our call and playing a part in building concrete tops for graves which were in a bad state.
“They are also working on building an ablution facility, so that those who visit get to enjoy the convenience of a decent place,” Cde Guta.
Cde Paul Maucha, the Secretary for History and Culture in the Harare Province who interacts with the shrine almost on a daily basis said there is still work to be done.
“Those who want to chip in can still come through and offer assistance. So far, 130 of the 400 graves have already been revamped. It is plausible progress considering that the work begun end of July this year,” Cde Maucha said.
Zimbabwe has a rich liberation war history, there is need to preserve it and the provincial and district shrines should not be left out. There is also a rich historical tourism element that can be pursued to benefit communities that carry them. ◆ Feedback: dzengavisuals@gmail.
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