‘Heroes must be turning in their graves’

THIS week Zimbabwe commemorated the National Heroes Day, sparking debate on whether the country is still following the liberation and patriotic ethos that guided the outstanding lives of numerous personalities interred at the National Heroes Acre in Harare for their heroic deeds.

e monument, National Heroes Acre, which boasts of the towering “Tomb of

e Unknown Soldier,” was built by North Korean contractors in 1981, a year after the country gained its Independence from British rule.

Over the years, the national shrine has been the reserved burial place, mostly for distinguished individuals who participated in the country’s protracted liberation struggle like Joshua Nkomo, Josiah Magama Tongogara, Solomon Mujuru and many other illustrious patriots.

Other notable figures, who also contributed to the national cause and were accorded the National Heroes status are not buried at the shrine for varying reasons such as Zimbabwe’s founding president Robert Mugabe and former Zipra Intelligence supremo Dumiso Dabengwa.

Mugabe’s near four-decade rule was brought to an end in November 2017 through a military coup that catapulted President Emmerson Mnangagwa into power.

is year’s celebrations, which have in the past been boycotted by opposition leaders as protest over the selection criteria of deserving individuals and other issues came at a time Zimbabwe is in the throes of a long running multifaceted political and economic crisis, mostly blamed on government’s ineptitude.

Zimbabwe’s economic malaise is characterised by spiking inflation currently hovering at about 256%, a depreciating currency, de-industrialisation, unemployment, dwindling exports and a gargantuan external debt stock of about US$20 billion.

In view of these challenges, this has therefore sparked questions from ordinary citizens and critics on whether the heroes interred at the national shrine would be pleased with how the country has evolved since attaining Independence in 1980.

On the global stage, the Southern African country, reeling from Western imposed sanctions is increasingly isolated due to its chequered human rights record.

Notably, former Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader and Zimbabwe’s prime minister between 2010 and 2013 Morgan Tsvangirai was not accorded the national heroes’ status, sparking intense debate and criticism.

Tsvangirai’s political party formed a coalition government with Mugabe’s administration in 2009 after the violent and disputed 2008 election.

e inclusive government was brokered by the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc).

World politics professor, Stephen Chan, observed that over the years, Zanu PF had monopolised the history of the liberation struggle, thereby creating a glaring gulf between the suffering masses and the relatively wealthy ruling elite.

“e late Professor Terrence Ranger, who played his own part in the liberation struggle called it ‘patriotic history’ whereby all history is expressed in liberation terms and justified as a patriotic act. But the ownership of history, which Zanu PF perpetuates for itself has departed from the ideals of liberation,” Chan said.

“When I drive through Borrowdale Brooke, and then to Epworth, I do not see much equality. But the legacy of 42 years of one-party state is a self-satisfaction, still disguised as patriotic, but which has lost all the values of liberation.”

e most scathing critics argue that the illustrious and gallant heroes must be turning in their graves, judging by how the livelihoods of ordinary citizens have deteriorated under the watch of Mnangagwa’s administration.

Political analyst Rick Mukonza observed that the National Heroes celebrations have lost their lustre, because the country has veered off the “patriotic trajectory rails” that guided the lives of gallant heroes such as Herbet Chitepo, Alfred Nikita Mangena and Edgar Tekere.

“e country has long moved off the patriotic trajectory rails. e patriotic narrative is now just being used as a justification for the continued rule but it no longer resonates with the majority of Zimbabweans,” Mukonza reasoned.

“e general feeling is that those in leadership are pursuing their selfish goals that are at tangent with the goals of the liberation struggle. It becomes worse when one looks at the post-Independence generation bedevilled by unemployment and lack of opportunities to meaningfully participate in the national economy.”

Endemic corruption, widespread unemployment, total collapse of the health delivery sector, intolerance to dissent and flaring political violence, among other deep-seated challenges, Mukonza argued: “disconnected the majority from the patriotic narrative”.

“ere are many areas that do not reflect well on the sacrifices of the departed heroes.

“If anything, the period of commemorating Zimbabwe’s liberation heroes should be a time for introspection for both the nation and its national leaders.

“e same oppressive system of governance that the white minority government was using can be seen employed by Zanu PF,” Mukonza said, pointing to an entrenched culture of persecution of political opponents.

Presiding over the commemorations, Mnangagwa debunked Mukonza’s argument by chronicling perceived achievements recorded by his administration, highlighting that: “Our history is of deep patriotism, perseverance and ultimate victory.”

However, critics point to the general decline of the economy, marked by widespread hunger, low salaries particularly in the public service sector amid an enclave of elites leading relatively opulent lifestyles in a sea of poverty, as some of the glaring indicators showing that the country has veered off the path diligently followed by Zimbabwe’s luminary heroes buried at the national shrine.

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition director Blessing Vava noted that corruption, misgovernance and plunder of national resources among other vices by the elite blighted the founding values of the liberation struggle.

“Patriotism implies standing firmly against misgovernance, corruption and plunder of national resources,” he said.

Just like in the colonial days, Zimbabweans continue to be persecuted for speaking out against misgovernance and this is very unfortunate.”