EX-Zipra combatants yesterday teamed up with Ibhetshu LikaZulu activists and held their own Heroes Day commemorations at Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo in honour of the many unsung liberation war heroes interred at the site.
BY SILAS NKALA
The event was attended by members from various political parties such as MDC-T, PDP, NPP, Zapu, MDC, Mthwakazi Republic Party, Zimbabwe Communist Party and several civil organisations, among others.
Several top Zipra cadres, among them Zipra commander, Lookout Masuku and Lazarus Nkala were buried at the shrine after they were denied national hero status by the Zanu PF government.
Zapu leader, Dumiso Dabengwa led the proceedings, where he laid wreaths at the tombs of his late colleagues before, he joined the youths in toyi-toying to Stanley Hall.
“We gather to remember all the heroes we lost and those who lives who are being sidelined. We recognise all those who participated in the liberation struggle be they those who carried, guns, mothers, who gave fighters food, fathers, who guided the fighters to be safe from the enemy and the youths who were the eyes and informers of the fighters,” he said.
“When we went to Pelandaba cemetery we laid some followers’ on the tomb of Lazarus Nkala representing all other cadres lying there. We say when we do all this we must not forget our fore fathers, Ndebele warriors who fought against the whites colonisation of the country long back. At Lalaphansi battles, Insukamini battle, Gadade battle, where Chief Mtshane Khumalo and the Mbizo regiment exhibited their bravery and the Phuphu battle where the Jameson Raid was completely annihilated.”
Dabengwa listed several former Zipra combatants, who were denied national recognition by the Zanu PF regime. These include Akim Ndlovu, Todd Mpisi, Johnson Ndebele, Thenjiwe Lesabe, Bobbylock Manyonga, Moffat Hadebe and Charles Ngwenya.
