Dabengwa's speech at Phillimon Mabuza Memorial service

The Mabuza Family

Comrades and friends of Mabuza

Ladies and Gentlemen

Today is a special day for the family of Philemon Mabuza, a chance to pay tribute to a good husband, father, brother, uncle, friend and so-on in his multiple identities.

For me and many others who know the late Philemon Mabuza as a gallant freedom fighter, it is an added pleasure and honour to be asked to speak at the ceremony to unveil the tombstone of a true hero.

Remembering a hero on Heroes Day
The timing of today's commemoration of Philemon Mabuza is very symbolic because on this day (8 August 2016) Zimbabwe is observing the national Heroes Day. It is indeed important for countries to remember and honour those who have rendered distinguished service to their motherland. However, it is easy to devalue the true meaning of "heroes" when the criteria for official designation as a hero are not uniformly applied. It is not a nice thing to disrespect the memory of those who may be wrongly designated for heroism they never showed or have not been convincingly documented to have. Worse still, when highly deserving cases like Mabuza are omitted in the designation of "heroes", it is difficult to avoid mentioning that there are many less-deserving cases that are today either at the National Heroes Acre or in the provincial resting places for heroes. In the ground of Lady Stanley Cemetery where Mabuza found a resting place, we are pleased that Bulawayo City Council reserved space for citizens to honour real achievers whose dedicated services in various fields are known and respected.

True heroes like Mabuza will win the test of time.
It is easy to forget that engaging in the liberation struggle or joining the armed struggle was as momentous choice, because we know so many friends, schoolmates, neighbors and workmates who did it. Even here today there are many who responded to the call of duty as young people and either took up arms or immersed themselves in various capacities in the liberation struggle. A ceremony like this gives us a chance to put a brick in the wall of remembrance to help keep sacred sacrifices that no political hanky-panky can permanently obscure.

It is part of the public record that Philemon Mabuza was a dedicated cadre of ZAPU who took part in some of our most hazardous operations in the 1960s. You have heard that In 1969 Comrade Mabuza was part of a 30-strong guerilla force that fought enemy forces in the Hwange Area. Those who met him in later life must have reacted with disbelief that such a gentle person was a guerrilla fighter who commanded in the thick of battle and survived great hardship. It is however the mark of the man that he kept faith in the possibility of true liberation and continued to engage in politics even after independence.

Philemon Mabuza's example is a reminder that true dedication cannot be measured only by the favor of those in power. In Lady Stanley today we are in the company of other heroes like Lookout Masuku, Richard (Gedi) Dube, Amos "Jack" Ngwenya, and others who could not pass the test of political correctness of the ZANU-PF establishment who define heroism by loyalty to a current political leadership. Others like Mrs. Thenjiwe Lesabe are buried elsewhere but their memory is better kept clean than being tainted by vetting in the hands of undeserving judges of political worthiness. Dr. Joshua Nkomo put it eloquently at the funeral of Lookout Masuku in this same ground in Lady Stanley when he pointed out that heroes are not made by declarations but their own deeds.

War vets changing from heroes to villains
The year 2016 will be remembered as the year in which those who have ears to hear finally understand that a repressive political system is like a double-edged razor-blade that cuts in all directions. It will cut even the most vicious eventually when they oppose aspects or specific practices of the ruling clique. Those who have been used to vilify their own comrades have been treated like used tissue paper that can be thrown away at will. I hope that these lessons are taken very seriously so that we can a political order that does not seek to make and unmake people's heroism at will. Liberation heroes should not accept to be moved back and forth from heroes to villains and vice versa.

Philemon Mabuza a durable hero
Lastly, Philemon Mabuza was a ZAPU activist to the end of his life. He was a strong member of our National People's Council in which he chaired its Matebeleland South province. I am proud that he found us worthy company for achieving his political dreams for Zimbabwe.

I wish to thank the Mabuza family for taking care of our comrade and making it possible for him to continue in dedicated service for party and country.