Zimbabwe Vice-President Joice Mujuru of the ruling ZANU-PF Party inside this Southern African state. Zimbabwe has resisted efforts to destabilize the country by the western imperialists.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
Herald Reporter
The remains of a freedom fighter, who died in the battle in which a
teenaged Cde Joice Mujuru downed a helicopter in the 1970s, was
exhumed from a shallow grave in Mt Darwin on Tuesday.
Cde Tavengwa Maviza of Bocha, Mutare, becomes the 1 013th freedom fighter to be exhumed by the Fallen Heroes of Zimbabwe Trust since Independence.
The remains were reburied yesterday at Mt Darwin District Heroes’ Acre.
Before the exhumation, members of the trust toured a mass shallow
grave in Madziwa where it is believed more than 100 freedom fighters
were buried.
The remains of another freedom fighter, Cde Shungu Tiringindi were
also exhumed and will soon be reburied.
Speaking before the exhumation, chief exhumer Cde Jimmy Motsi said he was worried that Cde Maviza’s relatives refused to participate in his
reburial on religious grounds.
"The family members acknowledged that they knew Cde Maviza, but
refused to co-operate with us to rebury him," he said. Cde Motsi said
the trust had located the shallow grave after Cde Maviza’s spirit
possessed his daughter.
"The relatives refused to co-operate with us even though Cde Maviza’s
daughter died mysteriously," he said.
Cde Motsi said Cde Maviza was shot in the stomach.
"His colleagues tried to help him but he died soon afterwards while
complaining of thirst. This followed a four-hour battle during which
Cde Mujuru downed a chopper near Karuyana base," he said.
Cde Mujuru is now Vice President.
Chairman of the Fallen Heroes of Zimbabwe Trust, Cde George Rutanhire, expressed concern that Government was giving little attention to the reburial of fallen heroes.
Cde Rutanhire said several fallen heroes had been identified, adding
they had located the actual grave in which the seven fighters who died
in the first battle of Chinhoyi were buried.
"After killing the first seven fighters, the white settler Government
kept secret the grave in which they were buried. It has turned out not
to be true that the seven were buried close to Chinhoyi Heroes Acre,"
he said.
He, however, would not give the exact location saying that will be
done when they were ready for exhumations.
Cde Rutanhire said Government had a duty to ensure the spirits of dead freedom fighters rested in peace by according them decent burials.
"The majority of them were improperly buried. It is a duty for all
Zimbabweans to finish off this business because the freedom we are
enjoying now came because of their blood," he said.
He said real national healing should be focussed on finishing off the
liberation struggle’s business by reburying identified late heroes.
"Families of those whose relatives never returned from the war are
still troubled. Their minds will not rest until they give proper and
decent burial to their sons and daughters," he said.
He said Parliament should debate and make necessary provisions to
ensure more attention is given to reburials.
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