Latest News Editor's Choice


News / National

Heroes Day celebrations - live updates

by Felex Share, Fungai Lupande and Costa Mano
08 Aug 2016 at 11:39hrs | Views
1334: Official proceedings have ended here at the National Heroes Acre and that concludes our updates. Thank you for joining us and please join us for tomorrow's updates on the Defence Forces Day celebrations.

1326: The National Anthem is now being sung.

1322: 117 heroes are buried at the National Heroes Acre.

1315: Families and relatives of heroes interred at the national shrine are paying their respects and laying wreaths at the graves.

1255: President Mugabe will now lead the laying of wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

1251: Choral groups are providing entertainment.

Play the video below:


1245: The President has finished his address.

1244: "I will no-longer say it's a day of mourning but a day of celebrating…we're happy that you left us a legacy and with that we can proudly say as I say long live Zimbabwe, long live our freedom, long live our sovereignty, makorokoto, I thank you,"

1242: "Ndakanzwa VaTsvangirai vachiti ngatibatanei tiite coalition, ndiyo yega nzira yatingaita kuti hurumende iyi iende..ehe makatadza kuikurira ka Zanu-PF? Iparty ine midzi..ndiyo midzi yacho iripano iyi..makuva aya haasi ekutamba nawo….Zimbabwe will never be a colony again, ndoshoko ravari kutaura varume nevadzimai varipano avo,"

1238: "I call for peace and unity among Zimbavweans, let us remain united in defence of our sovereignty, in defence of what our national heroes fought for, we should remain united, remain cognisant fo the fact that without unity we cannot make much progress…that is why things like protests don't pay because they usually end being violent protests, zvinobatsirei kuti muende mumigwagwa kuti muratidze kuti munogona kuposhera matommbo, kurova mapurisa nematombo..kashinji ndozvinoitika izvozvo se vanhu vasati vashanduka,"

1234: "We praise our security forces for the calm that has been, the peace that has been but we praise them also for international peace obligations..tine vanhu vanobva kumauto, vanobva kuchipurisa vanenge vachidiwa kunyika dziri kutsirwa ne United Nations…they continue to raise the flag of Zimbabwe very high, makororkoto,"

1231: President Mugabe says measures to avoid civil servants salary delays are being developed.

1229: "The rural electrification has seen 8 579 Government institutions being electrified but 3 580 institutions mainly primary schools are yet to be electrified countrywide. In terms of road infrastructure…meaningful strides have been made,"

1223: He says Government is working on a number of programmes aimed at improving arrivals in the tourism sector as well as promoting local tourism.

1221: "Government will also implement mining reforms which are targeted at plugging the leakages that have been hampering the mining sector….tundege tunenge tichiuya muma farms umu tuchitutu goridhe redu..izvozvo kubirana hatizvide,"

1219: "Kana ve South Africa vakachema..asi isuwo tine mishonga yatai producer wo asi vaiti hatidi kuti iuye by road ngaiuye nendege kuti isvike ikoko yakudhura..saka ndezvekutaurirana izvi nehama dzedu dzeku South Africa,"

1216: "Kuvabatsira ikoko, zvino yakava nyaya hoo hapana zvikabva zvapindirwawo…nevanonzi VaMawarire..ndivo vakabva vasvetukira nyaya yacho..zvikadaro hapana nyika pasi pano isingazvi dzivirire..ndoyatinoti dumping iyoyo…hamungade kuti mazitye apinde munyika,"

1213: "Murawo wakaitwa unokwaniswa kuitwa ne hurumende asi uchibvumirwa uri pasi pemwuwe murawo unenge wapasiswa ne Parliament, uyu wakaitwa kuti ubatsire nyika yedu, tibatsire vanhu vedu vanorima angave madomasi nezvimwe zvakadaro zvinotengeswa muno munyika zvanga zvakuora nekuti kune vamwe vanga vakuti aah zveku South Africa zvakachipa kudarika zvemuno,"

1210:  President Mugabe says the recent gazetting of the SI64 is meant to protect local industry.

1208: "Usashore, usati aiwa chikafu chakupiwha veZanu chete hachizi chokwadi..handizvo zviri mutsika dzedu, mukubatira kwedu kwenyika…economic activity in  the agriculture sector has remained subdued due to effect of the El Nino weather phenomenon..in view of this Government is committed in pursuing strategies that guarantee food security in rural and urban communities,"

1206: "Saka tichiti ngati rambei tiri mugwara irworo rakatarwa nevarume nemadzimai varipano vakazvipira vachibva kunzvimbo dzakasiyana siyana, tinge tichionana zvisinei nekuti unobva ku region iyi….kana tava nenjodzi ingati pinde, takaita njodzi yema sanctions yataramba tinayo, kuzoita njodzi yemvura inoita kuti zvokudya zvoshomeka…huremende haisiyo inonaisa mvura kwete, asika chionai zvadaro inozama painogona napo kuti mhuri irarame kwese kwese hazvinei kuti uyu ndewe party ipi kana ipi,"

1201: "Hongu pazuva ranhasi tininge tichiyeuka magamba edu tininege tichiyeuka zvikuru kuzvipira kwavakaita kuti zuva ranhasi rigovapo, kuti rusununguko rugovapo, tinenge tichiyeuka zvakare kuti mukurwira nyika iyi kwaisava nezvekuti ava vaiva kwavo ava vari kwavo, vaiva vakabatana,"

1159: President Mugabe says "today as per tradition we are gathered at the national shrine and various shrines across the country and neighbouring countries. We continue to honour our gallant sons and daughters,"

1154: President Mugabe is now on the podium.

1153: Home Affairs Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo is now addressing the gathering as the Master of Ceremony. He says though they lie silent their heroic deeds beckon the people to follow them. He invites President Mugabe to address the people.

1136: A pastor is currently preaching on the podium. He castigates pastors who talk of "potholes and the police" in church instead of praying for the leadership.

1134: Due to connectivity issues at the national shrine we are facing challenges in uploading images.

1128:  Meanwhile, hundreds of people are gathered at the Mashonaland Central Heroes Acre in Bindura to commemorate the fallen heroes.
Gushungo Magamba Choir entertaining the people in Bindura. Picture by Fungai Lupande

Gushungo Magamba Choir entertaining the people in Bindura. Picture by Fungai Lupande

1111: President Mugabe is now inspecting a quarter guard mounted by the Presidential Guard.

1108: President Mugabe has arrived accompanied by the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe.

1057: VP Mnangagwa arrives.

1047: VP Mphoko arrives.

1045: People are at the moment being entertained by various choral groups and the police band.

1044: All the service chiefs have arrived led by Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander General Constantino Chiwenga.

1043: Various cabinet ministers among them Prisca  Mupfumira, Saviour Kasukuwere, Kembo Mohadi, Sydney Sekeramayi, Christopher Mushohwe, Oppah Muchinguri, Patrick Zhuwao, Lazarus Dokora are alreay at the national shrine and have taken their seats in the main tent.

1033: Thousands of people are gathered at the national heroes acre for the main celebrations of Heroes Day. The main holding bay is filled to capacity



Source - the herald