Let's remember General Mujuru

On 15 August 2011, the nation woke up to the sad news that one of the gallant sons of the soil, General Solomon Tapfumaneyi Mujuru, was no more. It was and still unbelievable that the General of all the Generals could only depart from earth without bidding farewell to the nation.

But such is what life does; only nature has the destiny of every individual and General Mujuru happened to be among those who had accomplished their duties on earth, hence, his departure without leaving any word to the nation.

A record, more than forty thousand mourners who thronged the National Heroes acre on Saturday 20 August 2011, to bid farewell to the late General, was a vivid sign that showed the real person of what he was.

General Mujuru was a man of the people and his sudden departure, last year, left the people speechless. The nation only took solace in that he departed at the time when his goals of going to the bush, for liberating the country from the colonial bondage, were in their fruition.

The land redistribution programs, which saw vast tracks of land being redistributed to landless black majority in the country, were some of the goals which saw him cutting short his academic road in search of economic emancipation of the Zimbabwean people. He felt that economic emancipation of the majority cannot be attained when only few people owned the means and mode of production, hence, his decision to join the armed struggle that brought independence to the country.

It was a rough and tiresome road to travel, but as a determined soldier, he did not look back like what other political novices did as they deserted the struggle in search of personal fortunes.

Now that people like General Mujuru had sacrificed their lives in search of freedom of movement and expression to be attainable in the country, political novices are taking that advantage to make people think and believe that they can serve the country from political and economic demise.

It is disheartening and disturbing to note that the country which he and other gallant sons and daughters of the soil struggled for is being sold out to the same people who oppressed us during the colonial era.

If the truth is to be told, history would severely punish those who are there to blind the young generation into believing that they are their saviours. History will also punish them for selling out the country to the colonial powers as they think that a puppet government is the only way to save the country from economic demise.

The noble idea by the Harare City Council fathers that Enterprise Road has to be renamed in General Solomon Mujuru`s name could not have come at a better time. It is an idea that must get thumps up from those who really appreciate and understand the good work that was done by him during his time in the bush and after independence.

It is a befitting honour that the City Council saw it necessary to rename Enterprise Road after him. The City council must be commended for seeing reason and accepting that people like General Mujuru, who fought tirelessly for this country, must be respected and remembered through renaming of roads after them.

The renaming of Enterprise Road in his name must not end there as the ministry of Education, Sport and Culture should also come in the picture  by introducing cup games in different sporting activities, like soccer, under names of the departed gallant sons and daughters of the soil.

Introducing Cup games in names of the departed heroes would make it possible that works of our heroes would remain etched in people's memories so that they would not be only remembered in August.

The Mashonaland East Province must not sit back and relax while Harare City Council is leading the way. It must not believe that it is too late for General Mujuru to get a street in Marondera named after him.

The late General was the man of the people. Such people of his stature, who committed themselves for other people's welfare, are hard to find. Such was his character as shown by his desire to stop his schooling days at an early age in order to sacrifice his life to free the then oppressed people of Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwean people and those who worked with the General during and after the armed struggle, real know that in him we had lost a true revolutionary and a war strategist par excellence, a farmer and business man of good repute. So taking time to remember his life and history in this month of August is a proper way of appreciating the good work which he did for this country.

His legacy must be carried on and as such, local authorities around the country must carry on with his legacy by renaming various institutions and roads after his name like what the Harare City Council has decided to do.

 General Mujuru`s life and history must be introduced to primary and secondary schools so that the young people  start acknowledging and appreciating great works that were done by the departed Great Man of his stature.

The world over, some various history books in primary  and secondary schools are awash with works of people like  Alexander the Great and nothing is being said about the exploits of black people who excelled militarily like what Alexander the Great did. This tendency of making schools awash with great exploits of European soldiers, ignoring exploits of great African people like General Mujuru, Chaka the Zulu warrior, Steve Biko, and many others must stop.

Africa must wake up and make their great sons be known throughout the continent and beyond, by promoting African history in all schools.