Plan to rebury war heroes in unmarked graves underway

The Government is drafting a landmark law to facilitate the exhumation, repatriation, and reburial of thousands of liberation war heroes who remain buried in unmarked mass graves across Zimbabwe and beyond its borders, 45 years after independence.

Speaking at a press conference in Harare yesterday, Minister of War Veterans Affairs Monica Mavhunga said the proposed legislation is now under review by Government legal experts and will be presented to Parliament in due course.

The law forms part of a broader State-led initiative aimed at bringing closure to the families of fallen freedom fighters while ensuring the memory of Zimbabwe's liberation struggle is preserved for future generations.

"As we continue to look after surviving veterans, it is not lost on Government that there is a need for memorialisation through repatriation, exhumation, reburials and related processes," said Minister Mavhunga.

"This legislation is a key step towards fulfilling the promises made by comrades during the war that no one would be left behind."

The announcement comes as Zimbabwe prepares for this year's Heroes and Defence Forces Day commemorations on August 11 and 12, events that will carry added significance as efforts intensify to locate and rebury fighters whose remains lie in forgotten graves.

Mavhunga acknowledged the complexity of the exhumation and reburial process, which requires coordination among several ministries, veterans' associations, political and traditional leaders, Zanu PF structures, and even foreign governments.

"We are working hand-in-hand with the Ministries of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage; Local Government and Public Works; Foreign Affairs and International Trade and other stakeholders to ensure this is done in a dignified, inclusive and nationally guided manner," she said.

She expressed gratitude to organisations like the Fallen Heroes Trust of Zimbabwe and traditional leaders, who have already been working to locate and exhume remains, particularly in areas such as Masvingo, Hurungwe, Sanyati, and Rusape.

"I want to sincerely appreciate the work being done by the trusts, traditional leaders and communities who have kept this memory alive. Their role in identifying graves has been invaluable," she said.

Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Kazembe Kazembe, speaking separately, reaffirmed the Government's commitment to honouring all liberation fighters, regardless of where they died or which movement they belonged to.

"These gallant sons and daughters are still our heroes. Whether they lie at the National Heroes Acre or in the bush, they are the foundation of our independence," said Kazembe.

"We are crafting not only policy but also a historical correction. The journey towards their reburial has begun."

Minister Mavhunga also confirmed that fallen heroes buried beyond Zimbabwe's borders would not be forgotten. The Government is in talks with neighbouring countries to assist with identifying and possibly repatriating remains. Where repatriation is impossible, efforts will be made to mark and preserve the gravesites.

The latest exhumations by the Fallen Heroes Trust of Zimbabwe uncovered 29 ZIPRA fighters at Sanyati Rest Camp two weeks ago. A further 15 bodies, a mix of ZIPRA and ZANLA cadres killed during the liberation struggle, will also be exhumed soon.

In a symbolic joint ceremony, 64 identified remains - 55 ZIPRA and 9 ZANLA fighters - will soon be reburied at the Grand Parade in Hurungwe.

This legislation and the ongoing exhumation efforts mark a new chapter in Zimbabwe's efforts to honour its liberation heroes - a commitment rooted in remembrance, dignity, and national unity.