WHEN we cherish our Independence, we tend to only marvel at tangible achievements such as land ownership and the eradication of racial segregation.
Rarely do we put to the fore the process that brought about this tremendous achievement – a process that involved the sacrifice of thousands of lives of freedom fighters.
Not only that.
But also the massacre of innocent women and children both inside the country and outside, by the lethal weapons of the repressive Ian Smith’s colonial regime.
We have examples of places like Nyadzonia and Chimoio in Mozambique, Freedom Camp in Zambia and Kandeya and Kangara in Mt Darwin and Uzumba respectively.
At these centres and many others thousands were massacred by the Rhodesian regime in a desperate bid to discourage us from fighting for our Independence.
Outside the Heroes Day, commemorated every year in July, it looks like very little attention if any, let alone respect, is paid to those who died to liberate our country.
In fact it is incumbent within our culture that the places where the dead are buried have to be respected.
That is why we have this practice of ‘Kurova guwa’ or to unveil the tombstone as a way of respecting our late dear ones.
We would also have expected the shrines where our dear ones were buried en masse during the liberation struggle to be afforded national respect.
A recent visit to the Chimoio Shrine where thousands of innocent women and children massacred by the Smith regime were buried en masse, presents a gloomy picture.
The shrine where more than 5 000 people were buried in shallow graves looks desolate and abandoned.
The graves are covered in grass and any structure once put up around the shrine is collapsing.
Young Mozambican caretakers, who have volunteered to look after the shrine have little they can do as they are getting neither any salary nor food.
And yet Chimoio was the headquarters of ZANLA, the military wing of ZANU, which spearheaded the liberation struggle from the eastern front.
What is most disturbing is that while the Chimoio Shrine, the embodiment of the spirit of the liberation struggle is being neglected, Cecil John Rhodes’ grave at Matopo is a tourist attraction.
This is the same Rhodes whose colonisation of our country led to the massacres of Zimbabweans who were fighting for their freedom and buried at various shrines.
And yet Chimoio is not the only shrine housing massacred liberation fighters, which is neglected throughout the year only to be remembered on Heroes Day.
That is why we should salute Mashonaland East Provincial Minister, Simba Mudarikwa for upgrading the liberation war base at Kangara into a shrine.
Kangara is one of the places where the Rhodesians carried out one of their most horrendous massacres
The shrine at Kangara includes bones of villagers who were burned to death in caves as they tried to escape the brutality of the Rhodesian soldiers.
Cde Mudarikwa has turned this shrine into a well looked after sanctuary, where villagers pay homage not necessarily on Heroes Day only.
If Kangara Liberation Base can be turned into a respectable shrine for victims of Smith brutality, why can’t this be done to all centres both inside and outside our country where our sons and daughters perished.
The Rushinga traditional leaders, who recently visited Chimoio recommended that such an exercise begin at this once ZANLA headquarters.
Let’s be seen to be respecting burial centres where victims of Smith’s massacre lie not only on Heroes Day.