By Kundai Marunya
“HEROES are not born, they are made,” so said Rev Albert Kibi Muleya, in his opening remarks at the National Heroes Acre on Monday.
In a move that inspires ordinary citizens to do exceptional work for the betterment of the country and selflessly assist others, President Emmerson Mnangagwa conferred several distinguished honours on seven remarkable individuals for their exemplary contributions in various fields.
The accolades, which included the Royal Order of Munhumutapa, the Order of the Star of Zimbabwe, the Gold Cross of Zimbabwe, the Silver Cross of Zimbabwe and the Commendation Medal, were awarded at the national shrine as the nation remembered the contributions of the country’s liberators.
Former Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, received the Order of the Star of Zimbabwe in Platinum, in recognition of his illustrious 43-year career in the civil service.
He was recognised for his dedication to work that has significantly shaped Zimbabwe’s administrative landscape.
Dr Sibanda expressed his joy and gratitude for the recognition, emphasising the significance of this honour in the context of achieving Vision 2030.
“I am deeply honoured by this recognition and grateful to President Mnangagwa and his predecessors for acknowledging my contributions,” he said.
Celebrated musical ensemble Black Umfolosi were honoured with the Order of the Star of Zimbabwe in Bronze for their classic song ‘Unity’, which promotes national cohesion and unity.
Composed on the eve of the signing of the Unity Accord in 1987 that brought together ZANU PF and PF ZAPU, the song has, for generations, served as a clarion call to unity.
It is especially poignant now as the country is reconciling and healing the decades-old wounds of the Gukurahundi era that culminated in the Unity Accord, through home-grown dialogue chaired by traditional leaders.
“We honour the Black Umfolosi ensemble for their timeless song ‘Unity,’ which fosters national unity and reminds us of our shared identity as Zimbabweans,” said President Mnangagwa during his Heroes’ Day address.
Truck driver Sirizani Butau was awarded the Gold Cross of Zimbabwe for his courageous actions at the scene of a fatal accident along the Harare-Mutare highway in 2021, where he played a crucial role in saving lives of passengers aboard a CAG bus.
During his heroic rescue, Butau suffered third degree burns which left him hospitalised.
His heroism was, back then, celebrated by President Mnangagwa and the nation at large.
Butau expressed his surprise and pleasure at receiving the award, underscoring the importance of acting on one’s instinct to help others in need.
“It is an immense honour to be recognised for my actions. It’s a testament to the value of humanity,” he said.
Jubilee Utsiwegota was honoured posthumously with the same award for her heroic acts during a 2022 armed robbery, which, unfortunately, led to her death.
Her bravery in the face of danger has left a lasting legacy.
Also to be honoured were young children from Mhondoro who rescued their grandmother from the jaws of a crocodile.
Peace and Luckmore Magaya, aged 12 and nine, respectively, were bestowed with the Silver Cross of Zimbabwe for their extraordinary bravery.
The two, who have since been offered scholarships by President Mnangagwa have been touted as role models for young Zimbabweans in taking the nation forward.
Young Peace Magaya was elated to be so honoured by the Head of State.
“I am very pleased with the award and believe that good deeds are rewarded by God,” he said.
Luckmore echoed similar sentiments, expressing gratitude for the high honour.
Devnanda Popatial was awarded the Royal Order of Munhumutapa, the highest honour for a foreign citizen, for his invaluable contributions during the liberation struggle in Mozambique when ZANU was based in Maputo.
His dedication and support played a pivotal role in Zimbabwe’s torturous path to independence.
President Mnangagwa, who also conferred the Independence Medals to veterans and collaborators who fought to free Zimbabwe, emphasised that the awards serve to immortalise and memorialise the actions of Zimbabweans who have made significant contributions.
“The conferment of these medals recognises the bravery and humanitarian acts of individuals in various fields.
“Our 44th Heroes Day commemorations mark a milestone as we confer medals to 184 310 veterans of the liberation struggle,” he said.
“This total includes 56 681 war veterans; 7 839 ex-political prisoners; detainees and restrictees; 110 374 war collaborators; and 9 990 non-combatant cadres.”
Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa said the Second Republic continues to prioritise issues to do with the welfare of liberation war veterans though a majority of intended beneficiaries continue to suffer due to ignorance.
“Issues related to the welfare and economic empowerment of veterans, widows and war victims will continue to be given the attention they deserve,” said President Mnangagwa.
“The Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs is expected to increase the visibility and awareness of their programmes, inclusive of the benefits accruing to our veterans of the liberation struggle as well as their dependents.
“In addition, many injured war victims should be registered and compensated appropriately.
“The majority of widows of our heroes are not aware of their benefits, and some children are not in school and do not receive medical attention.
“We are, therefore, running awareness campaigns throughout the country, and requests for assistance are being received.”
President Mnangagwa added hat Government was carrying out research and documentation of the liberation war history.
This was expected to complements efforts by surviving freedom fighters who are in the process of documenting the struggle through eyewitness accounts.
Recently, war veterans who operated in the Hwedza-Svosve area of Mashonaland East revisited battle sites and liberation war bases in a documentation process to capture the history of the area which was crucial in the attainment of Zimbabwe’s independence.
The initiative is expected to be replicated across the country.
“In our endeavour to mould lasting national consciousness that defends, upholds and promotes our founding values, the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services has conducted research on our fallen heroes,” said President Mnangagwa.
“The Second Republic is aware of the need to memorialise the liberation war through repatriation, reburials and related processes to bring closure to the families of deceased veterans.
“Apart from well-known bases such as Freedom Camp, Mkushi, Nyadzonia and Chimoio, Government is availing resources towards repatriating and reburying thousands of veterans who still lie in shallow and unmarked graves in and outside the country.
“The need to accurately record, document and preserve the story of the liberation struggle cannot be over-emphasised. There are numerous records, which are available both in Zimbabwe and in countries that supported our revolutionary war. These require collation, annotation and electronic storage to facilitate ease of retrieval.
“The Department of National Archives of Zimbabwe is also exploring partnerships with families of nationalists to establish liberation heritage archives and sites in all the 10 provinces of our motherland.
The department has also compiled documentation of liberation heritage narratives, with special focus on the Kamungoma Massacre Site in Gutu, Butcher Site in Rusape, and the former Dzapasi Assembly Point in Buhera, among others.”