Bury heroes at National Shrine- surviving ZAPU members told

Bulawayo-based prominent independent political commentator, Zifiso Masiye, has warned that ZAPU/ZIPRA history risk being obliterated if National Heroes who are declared continue to reject being buried at the National Shrine.

This comes after a few former ZAPU/ZIPRA National Heroes have snubbed the National Shrine, the latest being, Dr Dumiso Dabengwa.

Other late National Heroes, namely Welshman Mabhena and Prof Phineas Makhurane, were buried at Bulawayo's Lady Stanley Cemetery and Gwanda, respectively.

Masiye, whose late father,  Misheck Velaphi Ncube, was recently buried at the National Shrine, described the stance as not only short-sighted and unproductive but glibly emotional.

"I find the alternative counter stream of a school of thought that pushes for ZAPU National Heroes to reject and shun their rightful station at the National Shrine, and instead, opt for some shadowy provincial or rural home graveyards to be as short-sighted, unproductive and glibly emotional," said Masiye.

Masiye warned former ZAPU stalwarts against remaining stuck in the Robert Mugabe era where some deserving National Heroes such as the late General Lookout Masuku and Cde Swazini Ndlovu where denied their rightful place at the National Shrine.

"That Lookout Masuku and Swazini Ndlovu… and all our great heroes from ZIPRA lie elsewhere away from the highest shrine of national honour is a monumental historical accident and pointer to the political myopia of the person of Robert Mugabe. It is his poor judgment and one of the multiple reckless own-goals of his political career and a blemish on ZANU PF, rather than on the Shrine."

Masiye further warned that "heroes do not, and must not, reflect our emotive and transient national political moment," arguing that  "Heroes are for posterity."

In direct reference to the Dabengwa issue, Masiye said, "the great offspring of Dumiso Dabengwa, who, in 50 years' time will know little or nothing of the personal feud between one Robert Mugabe and his/ her heroic, iconic, international freedom fighting great grandpa, must not be punished by digging up explanations for why the warrior lies not at the only national shrine."

"D.D. must be where he will be most useful to future generations,  where the historical glare of future cameras shall focus! (Lady Stanley is potentially a future suburb landscaped over dry bones!) Even as I write, the Great Chief, Nhlanhlayamangwe is battling back and forth to retain control of iNtabayezinduna... And your grave there could soon be inside a front-end loader!"

He added that "let Dr Dabengwa lie where his works and his footprint in life determined he should lie... with all the attendant honour and dignity his works deserve. The conflicts behind us, as well as the political exigencies of here and now, should not blind us to the demands of our enduring future."

"The current crop of would-be politicians and social commentators must indeed have their usual say, but their narrow lenses and small egos must not be allowed to blunt the broader picture and limit our strategic thinking."