Teach Young Generation History Says Zimbabwe President

08 MAY, 2021 - 00:05 

President Mnangagwa launches a book titled “Herbert Chitepo: The Life and Legacy of Zimbabwe First Black Advocate and Patriotic Fighter”, while Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry looks on, at National Arts Gallery, yesterday. Pictures: Tawanda Mudimu.

Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter for the Herald

President Mnangagwa yesterday implored the country to teach the younger generation about the country’s liberation war history to enable them to appreciate and value its significance.

The President said this while officiating at the joint launch of the “Exhibitions: Zimbabwe @41” and the biography for the late former Zanu Chairman Cde Herbert Chitepo at the National Art Gallery yesterday.

The biography is titled “Herbert W. Chitepo: The Life and Legacy of Zimbabwe’s First Black Advocate and Patriotic Freedom Fighter” and was written by Elias Chipadze Machemedze.

The launch was part of Zimbabwe’s 41st Independence Day celebrations.

“This book brings to the fore our national liberation war heritage and memory, which as a nation, we should always tell our children and generations to come,” he said.

“This will not only mould our children but also make them appreciate and value our liberation war history. This is therefore, a critical process that will consciously help our youth to forge into the future, yet at the same time, remain grounded on who we are as Zimbabweans.”

President Mnangagwa said the late national hero brought an awakening on what it meant to be an African and as the first African Director of Prosecutions in Tanganyika (now Tanzania), was instrumental in the establishment of law towards black emancipation.

He said this helped in strengthening solidarity among liberation movements.

“Cde Chitepo’s death, which was a sad moment that slowed the momentum of the liberation struggle, became a unifying and rallying point for comrades and nationalists,” he said.

The President said Zimbabwe should get inspiration in fighting imperial and neo-colonial machinations.

“As we celebrate today, there is still a body of work that needs to be researched, collected and be told through literal and audio visual work.

“I encourage the academia and youth to take up this challenge and fill the gap as we seek to collectively build a broader catalogue of literature for the African Liberation War History Museum,” said President Mnangagwa.

On the exhibition, the President applauded the creative and cultural sector for capturing and detailing the various facets of the country’s history, culture and heritage.

“The artistic depiction of aspects of our protracted liberation struggle, the peace, the unity and development that came out of it, are indeed moving and fascinating,” he said.

He said the sacrifices made by the liberation war fighters brought independence and freedom and equal opportunities.

The Second Republic, he said, was committed to protecting the freedom and ensuring the growth of the creative industry.

President Mnangagwa added that it was through the arts industry that Zimbabwe could tell its story from its own and African perspective.

“Looking ahead, I challenge the creative cultural industries to be the theatre for harnessing the country’s potential towards the achievement of key national priorities and aspirations as outlined in National Development Strategy I and Vision 2030,” said President Mnangagwa.

He implored the arts sector to promote peace and unity through their work and not be used as a tool to denigrate the nation’s culture and its aspirations.

The President pledged Government’s support for the National Art Gallery of Zimbabwe’s participation at the Venice Biennale 2022 to be held in Venice, Italy.

The 59th Venice Biennale International Contemporary Art Exhibition will be held between April and November 2022.

Author of Cde Chitepo’s biography, Mr Machemedze, said he was inspired to write the book by the contribution of the late national hero of the country’s independence.

He urged young people to take a keen interest in Zimbabwe’s history.