A senior Zapu official, Andrew Ndlovu, has rapped Zanu PF for allegedly personalising the selection of national heroes, and said his party would not attach much importance to the National Heroes’ Day commemorations.
Ndlovu, who is Zapu’s director of security and former Zipra regional commander, said the selection process should be non-partisan and recognise all who contributed to the liberation of the country regardless of political affiliation. He said the partisan selection process had contributed to his party’s pull-out from the unity accord signed in 1987 with Zanu PF.
“As a Zipra front, we are worried that majority of Zipra cadres are continuously being sidelined by Zanu PF on heroes’ status granting. It appears the definition of a hero to Zanu PF is only someone who is loyal to Zanu PF, which is very wrong,” said Ndlovu.
“All people who went to war, even if they did not go to the front to fight, should be considered as heroes.” Ndlovu said almost 32 years now, most of the Zipra cadres are still not recognised as war veterans and heroes just because some hold different political views from Zanu PF and do not support that party.
“People celebrate Independence and Heroes’ Day because of those who sacrificed their lives’ but only a single party Zanu PF denies these cadres this recognition. I feel the government must revisit the issue of hero status and war veterans and accommodate everyone who gave his or her life to the struggle of liberation,” he said.
“Due to Zanu PF stance of according hero status, the heroes’ shrine has been relegated to just a general shrine which some of us heroes no longer feel is good for us to be laid there because some of the people who are called heroes are far from being heroes.” He said even if someone is in the MDC contributed to the liberation of the country, the person must be honoured as a hero.
