Opinion / Columnist
Stop politicising liberation hero events
16 Jun 2022 at 08:27hrs | Views
OPPOSITION legislators have called on the ruling Zanu-PF party to stop politicising funerals of national heroes.
The issue was raised in the National Assembly by Makoni MP David Tekeshe (MDC Alliance) who said Zanu-PF members high jacked the burial of a provincial hero, Michael Nyamusamba at his constituency.
"A business colleague of mine, Nyamusamba was declared a provincial hero and I attended the funeral. I was surprised to see people wearing party regalia and sloganeering at the funeral. The funeral was in my constituency, but I was never acknowledged as the MP for the area," Tekeshe said.
"If Zanu-PF loses elections, does it mean that there will be no heroes and war veterans in the country? We need to respect these people, and when we attend heroes' burials, we should be respected as MPs because we were chosen by the people."
Gweru urban MP Brian Dube (MDC Alliance) said: "The main challenge that we have in Zimbabwe is that a majority of politicians love their political parties more than the country. Even if their party leader messes up, they are not in a position to call them out."
Liberation hero status in the country is only awarded to Zanu-PF loyalists.
However, the late President Robert Mugabe's family refused to bury him at the National Heroes Acre after he was removed from power in a humiliating manner in 2017.
The issue was raised in the National Assembly by Makoni MP David Tekeshe (MDC Alliance) who said Zanu-PF members high jacked the burial of a provincial hero, Michael Nyamusamba at his constituency.
"A business colleague of mine, Nyamusamba was declared a provincial hero and I attended the funeral. I was surprised to see people wearing party regalia and sloganeering at the funeral. The funeral was in my constituency, but I was never acknowledged as the MP for the area," Tekeshe said.
"If Zanu-PF loses elections, does it mean that there will be no heroes and war veterans in the country? We need to respect these people, and when we attend heroes' burials, we should be respected as MPs because we were chosen by the people."
Gweru urban MP Brian Dube (MDC Alliance) said: "The main challenge that we have in Zimbabwe is that a majority of politicians love their political parties more than the country. Even if their party leader messes up, they are not in a position to call them out."
Liberation hero status in the country is only awarded to Zanu-PF loyalists.
However, the late President Robert Mugabe's family refused to bury him at the National Heroes Acre after he was removed from power in a humiliating manner in 2017.
Source - NewsDay Zimbabwe
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