Chamisa pledges to build Liberation Museum for fallen heroes in Zimbabwe

Main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has pledged to build a Liberation Museum in honour of fallen heroes should his party win elections and come to power in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe celebrates Heroes Day today and Chamisa said; “We salute all our heroes and war veterans dead and living, who sacrificed to birth this great nation. We owe it to our heroes and posterity to preserve and crusade the ideals of social justice, an abiding culture of human rights and a gratifying social and economic order.

“The deeper meaning of a heroes day is located in finding each other to solve and end all political hostilities, hate, harassment, human rights violations, rigged elections, conflict, and violence. Heroes don’t beat, harass, maim and murder people for politics. Heroes don’t fail or fall!

“We designate August a Heroes month with multiple festivities, memorial lectures and activities. Community and family heroes will be honoured. We will cater for war veterans welfare and support.

“We will honour current Heroes fighting for freedom and justice -We must move from the warfare discourse to the welfare discourse. We will Introduce National Awards and merit for outstanding citizens in all works of life to be given to nominated GREAT Zimbabweans.

“We will launch a Liberation museum and Liberation struggle movie or film – We will strengthen education on history, heritage, national pride and patriotism. Heroes acre and other monuments to be revamped through ICTs and modern infrastructure for domestic and international tourism.

The ruling Zanu PF party has over the years been accused of privatising the selection of Heroes to mainly its own party stalwarts while excluding politicians from other parties.

Chamisa criticised this and said there was a need to “transform the process of declaring and conferring hero status in the country.

“No party is equal to or bigger than Zimbabwe. – The heroes of Zimbabwe shall be determined by and through stakeholders, an independent body that confers hero status.

“We will have a template to determine hero status with input from citizens in its design. And why is it just for political heroes? What about social, economic, sports and community heroes?” Chamisa added.

In September 2016, then State Security Minister Kembo Mohadi, broke ranks with fellow Zanu PF members while accusing the government of denying national hero status to some deserving war cadres, particularly former PF-Zapu members. Nehanda Radio