Former South African President Nelson Mandela during a 1997 three-day state visit to Zimbabwe, along with President Robert Mugabe.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
By Hebert Zharare recently in DAR ES SALAAM, Tanza
Southern African liberation movements have resolved to work together to preserve the heritage and legacy of the struggle for independence for the region’s development.
Speaking to journalists at the Harare International Airport, soon after arriving from Tanzania yesterday afternoon, President Mugabe said the legacy of the struggle was integral to Africa’s future.
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces was in Dar es Salaam to attend a summit of regional liberation movements.
He said he also addressed the 20th World Economic Forum on Africa that ran concurrently with the summit of the liberation movements.
"A full statement will be issued on the issues discussed by the summit. The parties agreed to preserve the heritage and legacy of the struggle. We agreed we should work together to ensure that what we fought for is sustained. Our people should understand that," he said.
Turning to the WEF on Africa, the President said all the principals to the Global Political Agreement addressed the forum.
"Well, the issue was impromptu that there be a session for the three principals to the Global Political Agreement to feature and make some statements. That is the session we attended and all the three principals made some statements.
"It is the forum that we continue to address in order to attract investment and give a picture of the stability we have. I addressed the meeting and touched on land, sanctions and indigenisation," he said.
The WEF on Africa brings together the political leadership, businesspersons, investors and development agencies.
Southern African liberation parties met to deliberate on how best they could work together amid mounting challenges caused by external forces among other issues.
The meeting of the heads of the liberation movements was preceded by a session bringing together their parties secretaries-general. The summit was held at the Presidential Palace.
Present were President Mugabe, host President Jakaya Kikwete, President Jacob Zuma (South Africa), President Armando Guebuza (Mozambique) and President Hifikepunye Pohamba (Namibia).
The meeting of the secretaries-general was attended by Cde Didymus Mutasa (Zanu-PF), Cde Gwede Mantashe (ANC), Cde Pendukeni Livuka Iithana (Swapo), Cde Philipe Paude (Frelimo) and Cde Yussuf Makamba (CCM).
Speaking to The Herald in Tanzania after the Wednesday summit, Cde Mutasa said: "Following our two-day meeting as secretaries-general of the liberation parties, we then met the presidents of the parties during the summit on Wednesday.
"We discussed how we can consolidate our heritage as liberation parties. We also discussed how we can preserve our legacy as liberation parties.
"It was resolved that there was a need for the liberation parties to move around where they operated and make sure that the heritage was identified and preserved."
Cde Mutasa said some of the issues raised were still under consideration and needed further discussion.
The idea of a summit of the liberation parties was mooted in South Africa in October 2000 when it become clear that the majority of the liberation parties in Southern Africa were under attack from the West that wanted to replace them with captive reactionary movements.
Malema victimised, says Zanu-PF Youth League
Herald Reporter
THE Zanu-PF Youth League has expressed concern at the decision by the African National Congress to take disciplinary action against its Youth League president Cde Julius Malema for going against a court ruling barring him from singing the revolutionary song "Dubulu ibhunu (Shoot the Boer)".
The charges, the Zanu-PF Youth League said, could be linked to his open support for Zimbabwe.
In a statement, Zanu-PF Youth League deputy secretary for information and publicity Cde Cecilia Chivhunga said Cde Malema was being "victimised".
"As Zanu-PF Youth League we are dismayed by the ANC statement that they want to discipline Cde Malema for supporting and showing solidarity with Zanu-PF and the people of Zimbabwe. At party level, we have a lot in common with our counterparts from the ANC and that is the reason their national chairperson and secretary-general came to Zimbabwe to celebrate achievements made by our leadership in Zanu-PF," she said.
ANC national chairperson Cde Baleka Mbete and secretary-general Cde Gwede Mantashe visited Zimbabwe with the former attending Zanu-PF national chairman Cde Simon Khaya Moyo’s celebrations for assuming the chairmanship post in Lupane last weekend.
Cde Chivhunga said: "We appreciate what the South African government has done in the formation of the inclusive Government and the role they are still playing which, role should be separated from the ANC."
Describing Cde Malema as a "rare crop of new revolutionaries emerging in Southern Africa," Cde Chivhunga said the ANC youth leader would always receive the highest respect from principled youths.
The ANC has instituted disciplinary measures against Cde Malema for, among other things, openly supporting Zanu-PF and President Mugabe and castigating the MDC-T.
Women urged to join army
Herald Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN women have been urged to join the army and support national causes as they did during the liberation struggle.
Addressing troops at a passout parade at One Commando in Harare yesterday, the director of army social services Colonel Zvanyadza Machinjili urged women not to limit themselves professionally.
‘’Nothing can stop us as women to join the army. Women played a very pivotal role in the liberation struggle when conditions and the environment were very tough. What more with this peace which is prevailing in the country?
"Though the ranks of women in the army have increased, we still need more women in the army so that the ranks will continue to increase," she said.
Among the 180 members who graduated yesterday, 20 were females.
"The inclusion of women in such a demanding course signifies the importance that the Zimbabwe National Army places on gender equality," she said.
The two-month course saw troops being trained in disciplines like foot and arm drills, military-civic education and physical fitness.
Sergeant Didymus Gate from the Directorate of Procurement scooped the best trainee award.
Rebecca Moyo from the Commando Regiment was adjudged the second runner-up while Corporal Jonathan Mazwi from the Paratroopers Regiment came in third.
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