Cherishing the selfless sacrifices

By Sharon Chimenya

AS the country celebrates 44 years of independence on April 18, the Government’s construction of memorial sites serves as a reminder to the younger generation to cherish the selfless sacrifices made by heroes.

The Kamungoma shrine, commissioned by President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week, evokes memories of the struggles endured by civilians and liberation war heroes in order to achieve independence.
On May 14, 1978, almost 46 years ago, 105 people, including a guerrilla fighter, out of the nearly 300 people attending an all-night politicisation (pungwe) gathering, died under an attack from Rhodesian settler soldiers.

The freedom fighters had adopted a concept of operating like fish in water, where communities were the water, because for them to survive, they needed to be fully integrated into communities.
The Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Kazembe Kazembe, said as part of their mandate, they were working on constructing liberation war sites to commemorate the selfless sacrifices made by the freedom fighters.

“My ministry, as part of its mandate in line of the National Development Strategy 1 and as directed by Your Excellency, embarked on the identification and construction of such shrines countrywide to memorialise sites associated with the First and Second Chimurenga in remembrance of the selfless sacrifice by those who perished in the fight for independence,” he said before the commissioning of Kamungoma Shrine by President Mnangagwa.

“Kamungoma, where we are today is one of the liberation war sites in Zimbabwe, which evokes memories of the struggle for independence and the brutality unleashed on innocent indigenous Zimbabweans by the colonial regime. It memorialises the dark side of the country’s history, where many civilians lost their lives while sheltering and providing for freedom fighters.” For Sesedzai Maharure, one of the 33 survivors of the massacre present at the commissioning event, every Zimbabwean is supposed to understand that independence was attained through the loss of many innocent lives.

She recounted how they witnessed blood flowing from the shrines years after the massacre.

“War is a very difficult period; it took almost five years for the blood from the site to be washed. Even during the rainy season, the blood kept flowing. I wish that every Zimbabwean should understand that blood was shed. This country came about through the death of many people.”

At the site, a heart-breaking story is told of a child, Hondo Svondo Makorovodo, was found suckling from her dead mother’s breast. Makorovodo, who was only a child then, urged Zimbabweans to be united.

“A lot of people died at this place fighting for our freedom, and we should understand the sacrifices made by our parents and the comrades. We should uphold their legacy so that our parents, who sacrificed for us, are honoured by seeing us follow in their footsteps.”

Some survivors of the incident are appealing to the Government to support them with sustainable livelihood projects.

Vongai Mapfumo expressed her satisfaction with the Government’s efforts in commemorating the people who perished at Kamungoma Shrine and urged the Government to continue enhancing the site. “I am very pleased with President Mnangagwa’s actions. These efforts comfort and reassure us, and even our children are happy that we are being remembered, considering the suffering we endured. We request that the restoration and rehabilitation of this area continue. We also ask the Government to assist us, especially considering that some of us are now elderly and in need of projects to sustain ourselves,” she said.

She also expressed her happiness with the ongoing development in the area, including the borehole drilling project and the establishment of fish ponds and gardens for the sustainability of the local communities.

Meanwhile, Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira, said as a province they committed themselves towards encouraging the local communities to visit heritage sites.

“Kamungoma National Monument is one of our assets which is critical in the development of the tourism corridor that connects with other sites such as the Trabablas trail, KwaVaMuzenda, Gonakudzingwa detention camp in Gonarezhou hence preserving and promoting Zimbabwe’s cultural heritage,” he said.