News / National
Zimbabwe war vets urged to write books
12 Oct 2024 at 11:15hrs | Views
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has called on veterans of Zimbabwe's liberation war to document their experiences to ensure future generations have a deeper appreciation of the country's history. Speaking at the launch of a new book by retired Major-General Happyton Bonyongwe titled "One Among Many: My Contribution to the Zimbabwean Story," Chiwenga emphasized the importance of preserving the stories of those who fought for the nation's independence.
"We have lost Tshinga Dube, a war veteran and top commander, both before and after our independence. I am happy he found time to put together his wartime experiences into a book on our struggle for independence. We are the richer for it," Chiwenga said, noting the passing of many freedom fighters without recording their invaluable stories.
He stressed the need for surviving veterans to write about their wartime experiences to preserve the rich history of Zimbabwe's liberation struggle for posterity.
"Many of our brave fighters have gone to the grave with their narratives, leaving our society much poorer. Those of us who live must now discharge this huge debt we owe posterity. We must start writing, start immortalising our wartime experiences," urged VP Chiwenga.
The Vice President praised Maj-Gen Bonyongwe for taking the time to document his experiences, describing the book as both a personal narrative and a vital commentary on leadership and key historical developments.
"Happyton's narrative shows he is much more than a functionary; he reflected a lot on what he did, all the time drawing rules of life inspired by hard experiences," said Chiwenga. He added that the book provided important philosophical insights into leadership, particularly after the liberation struggle.
Chiwenga's remarks have highlighted the urgent need for veterans to ensure that Zimbabwe's liberation history is preserved for future generations, challenging more of them to follow in Bonyongwe's footsteps by recording their own contributions to the country's independence.
"We have lost Tshinga Dube, a war veteran and top commander, both before and after our independence. I am happy he found time to put together his wartime experiences into a book on our struggle for independence. We are the richer for it," Chiwenga said, noting the passing of many freedom fighters without recording their invaluable stories.
He stressed the need for surviving veterans to write about their wartime experiences to preserve the rich history of Zimbabwe's liberation struggle for posterity.
"Many of our brave fighters have gone to the grave with their narratives, leaving our society much poorer. Those of us who live must now discharge this huge debt we owe posterity. We must start writing, start immortalising our wartime experiences," urged VP Chiwenga.
"Happyton's narrative shows he is much more than a functionary; he reflected a lot on what he did, all the time drawing rules of life inspired by hard experiences," said Chiwenga. He added that the book provided important philosophical insights into leadership, particularly after the liberation struggle.
Chiwenga's remarks have highlighted the urgent need for veterans to ensure that Zimbabwe's liberation history is preserved for future generations, challenging more of them to follow in Bonyongwe's footsteps by recording their own contributions to the country's independence.
Source - The Herald
