Lovemore Kadzura
Post Reporter
GOVERNMENT is making several strides to maintain and preserve the legacy of the late iconic and revered nationalist, Advocate Dr Herbert Pfumaindini Chitepo to ensure that his incredible credentials and heroic feats in dismantling the yoke of colonialism, remain etched in the minds of the citizenry.
The late Cde Chitepo made tremendous contributions to the liberation of Zimbabwe, being one of the brains behind the launch of an armed confrontation against the Rhodesian settler regime of Ian Douglas Smith after realising that they were not going to hand over the cherished independence on a silver platter.
To show his commitment and unparalleled patriotism, the late Cde Chitepo left his well-paying job as the Director of Prosecution in Tanzania to live as a refuge in Zambia, where he was directing the war of liberation.
His other ZANU colleagues then, included the late Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole (President), Cde Leopold Takawira (Vice-President) and Cde Robert Mugabe (Secretary General).
Together with many other nationalists, they were detained in various prisons in Rhodesia.
Cde Chitepo, who was the founding national chairman of ZANU, was the most senior member out of detention, and took the sole responsibility of organising the armed struggle to dislodge the white settler regime – tapping from his legal knowledge – to lobby the progressive international community to support the armed struggle which led to the independence of the country on April 18, 1980.
The colonialist felt the impact of his actions, and in March 1975, killed him in the most callous manner when they planted a bomb in his car, killing him on the spot.
This marked the end of the patriotic giant of the liberation struggle.
In keeping his legacy alive, and recognising his immense contributions to Zimbabwe’s independence, Cde Chitepo was declared a national hero, and his remains were reburied at the National Heroes’ Acre in Harare.
Several key roads in cities and towns across the country have been named after him.
In recognition of his intellectual contribution during the war, the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology was launched, where people, particularly born-frees, born after independence are taken through vital historic and patriotism lessons. The Great Zimbabwe University Law School was also named after him.
In his home province of Manicaland, the main Three Brigade Army Barracks were recently rechristened Herbert Chitepo Barracks.
The provincial referral hospital was renamed after Cde Chitepo’s late wife, Cde Victoria Chitepo, an undisputed heroine in her own right.
It is now known as Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital.
The head office of the Anglican Diocese of Manicaland was also named after him, in a gesture that shows that his life transcended all spheres of life, and positively impacted people from different walks of life.
Further recognising the selfless contribution of Cde Chitepo, preparations by Government are at an advanced stage to set up a museum at his rural home in Bonda, in Mutasa District.
The museum, upon completion, will be declared a national monument in recognition of the rural setting that gave birth to this large than life character and combatant.
Cde Chitepo was born at Bonda, where he did his primary education before proceeding to St Augustine’s Tsambe in Penhalonga, where he was among a group of pioneer students at the school.
He later proceeded to South Africa to study law, and became the first black advocate.
He legally represented many black nationalists arrested by the oppressive regime before making the bold decision to join them in the trenches to take the white settler regime head-on.
Cde Chitepo’s stone walled seven-roomed house at Bonda is still intact. Originally, Cde Chitepo built two stone-walled rooms on which five other rooms were added.
The late national hero’s personal items such as signed books, sewing machine he bought for his wife, Victoria as a wedding present, two baskets brought from Tanzania, landline hand receiver and dressing table are also still intact.
Also intact at his Bonda homestead are some furniture brought from Zambia after independence.
The rest of the late hero’s iconic stuff is said to be located at various locations in Harare.
Of his six children, four are still alive.
The Department of National Museums and Monuments’ eastern region director, Dr Paul Mupira said preparations are progressing well to declare Cde Chitepo’s standout homestead a national monument.
He said they are working closely with Cde Chitepo’s family, Chitepo Trust and the Bonda community to actualise the dream.
“We are about to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) where we are preserving Cdes Herbert and Victoria Chitepo’s legacies. National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe will provide technical advice to the Chitepo Trust in terms of the development of the Chitepo property located in Bonda area of Mutasa.
“Basically they want to develop the house and turn it into a museum, and display some of the artefacts and paraphernalia that the couple left behind. There is quite a lot of material that was preserved, and we think we have a good basis to come up with a very interesting display that will showcase and celebrate the lives of the heroic couple.
“We are also collaborating with the National Archives to set up a community archive. There is actually a lot of material that was left behind by Cde Chitepo, both from his legal and other studies, which can benefit the community.
“There is space for us to put up a library as well, and other planned developments, including establishing a vocational training centre. We are in the process of assessing the size of the farm to see how many hectares can be reserved for that,” said Dr Mupira.
Cde Chitepo’s daughter, Dr Thokozile Chitepo, said they are collaborating with stakeholders for the process to succeed, adding that the family will release a lot of artefacts and personal items that their parents used during their days in Rhodesia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Dr Chitepo applauded Government’s efforts to keep their father’s legacy alive.
“The Chitepo family is working together with the Chitepo Trust, and are pleased to begin the process of establishing a museum at our rural homestead in Bonda. Currently, the homestead houses quite a number of his personal items that include furniture and kitchenware, among others. These things were used by the Chitepo couple in Zambia and Tanzania.
“As a family, we approached the National Museums and Monuments, and they have since agreed that this is a suitable place to establish the museum. We are hosting the first community consultation meeting to share the news as well as get their suggestions and contributions.
“The main purpose is to preserve the legacy of Cdes Herbert and Victoria Chitepo, and the community has been looking forward to this positive development. Besides the homestead, the community has other sites in the area that they want preserved in honour of Cde Herbert Chitepo. For instance, there is an old school block that he attended classes with a number of young boys from the village before they were transferred to St Augustine’s High School to become the first group of students.
“The Department of National Archives is also collecting and documenting a lot of Cde Chitepo’s personal books, writings, speeches, letters and some of the clothing that have been returned. From Lusaka, we have one or two pieces of furniture which is already in Harare. The Zambian house was sold, and it is now a private property. Maybe Government might have interests in resuscitating it. The Department of National Museums and Monuments is the custodian of the wreckage of the car he died in at the National Heroes’ Acre. Choosing where certain items should be kept and made available to members of the public will be a joint decision by the Chitepo Trust, Government and the community,” said Dr Chitepo.
Bonda High School head, Mr Caston Chitsidzo Samanga, who is also the chairperson of the Herbert Chitepo Trust, said they feel humbled for the continued recognition and preservation of the Chitepo legacy.
“We have set down as the Bonda community where Cde Chitepo was born and bred. We want to identify areas and things that will be built to remind us and perpetuate his legacy. We came up with this idea in 2014 to have some sporting activities during the National Unity Day in honour of the late Cde Chitepo. We considered the principles of Cde Chitepo, and among them were unity, freedom, empowerment, and humility, which he displayed.
“Already there is youth skills programme running in partnership with organisations like Young Africa International, who assisted us to carry out a number of programmes at Bonda and in Honde Valley, where more than 700 youths have graduated and gained several life skills. We are happy that the Chitepo homestead is now being turned into a national monument, where we will have displays of the things that can be traced back to Cdes Herbert and Victoria Chitepo. We feel honoured as the community to have produced an internationally-acclaimed figure in the mould of the late Cde Herbert Chitepo,” said Mr Samanga.
