News / National
Masvingo to erect Simon Muzenda statue
06 Mar 2022 at 08:20hrs | Views
MASVINGO City Council has proposed to erect a statue in honour of the late Vice President, Dr Simon Muzenda.
Mzee, as he was affectionately known, was born in October in Gutu and died on 20 September 2003 at the age of 80.
Council has already set up a taskforce drawn from the departments of the public relations office, housing and social services, chamber secretary and engineering services to spearhead the initiative.
The task force will work with the National Museums and Monuments.
According to the latest council minutes, it was reported that the Cultural Heritage department received and considered the Masvingo City Council proposal as a welcome development and guided the local authority on the process.
"That the proposal by the City of Masvingo is a welcome development as the memorialisation of those individuals such as the late Vice President who were instrumental in Zimbabwe's fight for and attainment of independence is a policy position that Government is actively implementing.
"The Masvingo City Council initiative was therefore welcome because it is predicated on Zimbabwe's desire to remember and celebrate heroes such as the late Vice President through mounting of their statues, among other ways of showcasing their achievements," read part of the minutes of the Health, Housing and Environmental Services Committee.
The minutes noted that the mounting of the statue, and all processes will be guided by procedures and values that would have been employed by Government had the project been initiated by it.
"The final product should reflect the leadership of Government of the project."
Council also recommended that a stakeholder committee consisting of City of Masvingo, representatives of the Muzenda family, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development and Ministry of Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services be set up to prepare a detailed project document for submission to Cabinet.
Muzenda was the Deputy Prime Minister of independent Zimbabwe and became the first Vice President of Zimbabwe in 1987.
He was born on 22 October 1922. He was the son of a farmer.
Muzenda was a carpenter by profession and was married to Maud Muzenda, who was a qualified nurse and together they had seven children.
When Zanu-PF was formed in 1963, the late VP joined the party and was appointed as the administrative secretary of the party.
In 1964, he was arrested after he had been appointed as the deputy organising secretary of the party.
He was detained, only to be released in 1971 and he went into exile first in Zambia and then Mozambique as he took part in the liberation struggle.
Mzee, as he was affectionately known, was born in October in Gutu and died on 20 September 2003 at the age of 80.
Council has already set up a taskforce drawn from the departments of the public relations office, housing and social services, chamber secretary and engineering services to spearhead the initiative.
The task force will work with the National Museums and Monuments.
According to the latest council minutes, it was reported that the Cultural Heritage department received and considered the Masvingo City Council proposal as a welcome development and guided the local authority on the process.
"That the proposal by the City of Masvingo is a welcome development as the memorialisation of those individuals such as the late Vice President who were instrumental in Zimbabwe's fight for and attainment of independence is a policy position that Government is actively implementing.
"The Masvingo City Council initiative was therefore welcome because it is predicated on Zimbabwe's desire to remember and celebrate heroes such as the late Vice President through mounting of their statues, among other ways of showcasing their achievements," read part of the minutes of the Health, Housing and Environmental Services Committee.
The minutes noted that the mounting of the statue, and all processes will be guided by procedures and values that would have been employed by Government had the project been initiated by it.
Council also recommended that a stakeholder committee consisting of City of Masvingo, representatives of the Muzenda family, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development and Ministry of Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services be set up to prepare a detailed project document for submission to Cabinet.
Muzenda was the Deputy Prime Minister of independent Zimbabwe and became the first Vice President of Zimbabwe in 1987.
He was born on 22 October 1922. He was the son of a farmer.
Muzenda was a carpenter by profession and was married to Maud Muzenda, who was a qualified nurse and together they had seven children.
When Zanu-PF was formed in 1963, the late VP joined the party and was appointed as the administrative secretary of the party.
In 1964, he was arrested after he had been appointed as the deputy organising secretary of the party.
He was detained, only to be released in 1971 and he went into exile first in Zambia and then Mozambique as he took part in the liberation struggle.
Source - The Sunday News
