Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Wallace Ruzvidzo-Herald Reporter

Every Zimbabwean should love their country and demonstrate a high level of patriotism, the hallmark of any democratic and progressive nation, President Mnangagwa has said.

The President said this yesterday evening when he paid his condolences to Central Intelligence Organisation Director-General, Ambassador Isaac Moyo following the death of his eldest daughter, Shumirai, in Dublin, Ireland, about two weeks ago.

Shumirai died after a short illness aged 41.

In his remarks, President Mnangagwa said it was important that Zimbabweans demonstrate love for their country as was done by Shumirai throughout her adult life.

Shumirai was a political activist who sought to see Zimbabwe continue to develop under the Second Republic.

The President said her death was not only a loss to the Moyo family, but to Zimbabwe at large as she was an “important patriot”.

“Before she left to go abroad, she was doing activities to further the party (Zanu PF), which is not a small thing because that means she was uplifting the country,” he said.

“A girl political activist is rare, but this is what she was doing. So we have lost a patriotic daughter of Zimbabwe.

“Not many are patriotic and demonstrate love for their country, but she did, and she was unapologetic. So today, we are assembled here to bid farewell to a patriotic daughter of this country.”

President Mnangagwa said it was heartening to note that Shumirai aspired to gain Zanu PF an urban parliamentary seat once she was done with her endeavours abroad.

“She had expressed her desire to come home and wrestle a parliamentary seat from the opposition, then we would have a Zanu PF representative.

“That was her plan,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said while she was sick, he was often apprised on how she was doing in hospital by Ambassador Moyo.

The President informed the family that Vice President Kembo Mohadi would represent him at the burial today.

Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga said he got to know Shumirai when she arranged a rally for him to address in 2018.

“From what I was being told by her sibling here, she was an active person growing up, who was jovial.

“I started to know her in the political field when she arranged a rally for me in Mabelreign, Harare, and we went to address,” he said. Ambassador Moyo described his daughter as a tenacious political activist who sought to see Zanu PF triumphing in all spheres.

He narrated how she once convinced VP Chiwenga to address a rally in 2018.

“Her aspirations for when she got back from Ireland were to unseat the current Harare West MP and win it for Zanu PF, but unfortunately, she is not with us anymore.

“She was a political activist and even arranged a political rally for VP Chiwenga,” he said.

Ambassador Moyo then narrated her ordeal up until her untimely death.

“She went to work one day and she fell ill there, and after the second day of her admission, she was complaining of headaches and the doctors did tests, some of which were taken to Germany to see if she had cancer of the brain, but again she was found without cancer of the brain but her brain was swelling and this was what caused the headaches.

“She was then put in intensive care and while she was in there, she did not eat. She was being fed through the neck and she was virtually nonresponsive,” he narrated.

The funeral service was attended by ministers, permanent secretaries and other Government officials.

Blessings Chidakwa in MURAMBINDA

Turning back the hands of time, war veterans most of whom are now in their 60s and 70s, relived their wartime experiences when they were afforded an opportunity to form a parade and march in quick time at the 44th Independence Day celebrations held in Murambinda, Buhera District.

So composed were the freedom fighters that they received a standing ovation from the crowd. Most of the marchers were part of the 15 000 team of freedom fighters who assembled at Dzapasi/ Foxtrot Assembly point during the ceasefire period.

At the tail-end of the country’s liberation struggle, when the embers of the gruelling war were dying after the defeat of the minority settler colonial regime, thousands of freedom fighters were assembled at Dzapasi/Foxtrot, in Buhera waiting for elections that ushered in majority rule. 

The freedom fighters were excited with the honour and could be heard chatting among themselves that it was “still in them”, as they were marching to a jubilant crowd at Uhera Stadium.

Addressing multitudes of people who attended the main Independence Day celebrations in Murambinda on Thursday, President Mnangagwa said his Government will continue to prioritise the welfare of war veterans.

“My administration continues to implement policies in line with our Constitutional obligation to respect and honour our veterans of the liberation struggle.

“I urge us to draw lessons from this rich legacy of bravery and look into the future with hope and confidence in our own abilities as an independent and free people,” he said.

A female war veteran who was part of the parade, who identified herself only as Cde Ticharwa, could not hide her joy.

“Truly, this is a historic day to us war veterans especially from Manicaland Province and we are happy that our President is indeed leaving no one and no place behind.

“Each Independence Day, we feel reinvigorated. Memories of the war are always still fresh in some of us,” she said.

Cde Member Kuvhiringidza also went down memory lane, expressing gratitude to P resident Mnangagwa for according them the honour to hold parade during the main Independence celebrations.

“We are very grateful to our Commander, President Mnangagwa, for honouring us on this very special day. 

“We managed to show the world that we are still going strong,” he said.

Meanwhile, there was brisk business in Murambinda during the Children’s Party and Independence Day celebrations.

Motels, fast food outlets, shops and beer outlets were filled to the brim with patrons.

Due to the huge turnout, estimated at over 70 000 people, accommodation demand became so huge that some families had to partly convert their houses into guest houses charging between US$10 to US$20 per night.

Gogo Chipo Masocha, whose children live in the Diaspora, said she had to give in to the idea of converting the house into a guest house following several requests from desperate accommodation seekers.

“I charged them US$5 per head in a room which was accommodating at least 4 people. I have never seen huge crowds like the ones l witnessed here this time around,” she said.

A vendor, Mrs Tinotenda Gwaze, who operates along the Chivhu-Murambinda Highway said she recorded brisk business.

“I am grateful for the events that were held here as they helped me make some money. On a usual day, l go home with between US$20 and US$30 but on Independence Day l had around US$250,” she said.

Over 70 000 people thronged Uhera Stadium, Murambinda B Secondary School in Buhera District, for the Independence Day celebrations.

It was the second time that such celebrations were held in a rural environment since 1980, after Mt Darwin District in Mashonaland Central Province hosted the event last year. 

But overall, this was the third Independence Day celebrations to be held outside Harare, again since 1980, after the 2022 celebrations were held in Bulawayo, in line with the Second Republic’s thrust of leaving no place and no one behind.