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Zim must intensify exhumations, reburials of fallen heroes

16 Aug, 2019 - 00:08 0 Views

The ManicaPost

Freedom Mutanda Chipinge Correspondent
BY this time in 1979, talks about talks were underway while at the battlefront war raged on as the two armies were in mortal combat in a bid to control of the country.

At the height of the liberation war, the Ian Smith regime carried out acts of atrocities bordering on genocide in camps like Freedom, Nyadzonia and Chimoio where thousands were killed and buried in mass graves.

To many, it is enough to have the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the National Heroes Acre which bears symbolic significance for those who lie in unmarked graves in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique.

These people need decent burial to ensure the ultimate spiritual closure, some traditionalists argue.

“I strongly believe that this country needs a rebirth spiritually. The dead are crying in shallow graves as we speak because they haven’t been accorded decent burial,’’ said Mr John Mtisi (60).

Analysts point out that the Second Chimurenga was a by-product of a spirited spiritual war between the Western and African.

Historians are agreed that from 1859 to 1893, very few people frequented western churches in Matabeleland, but things opened up for these churches after the Ndebele lost the 1893 Anglo-Ndebele war.

It may be argued that they had a change of heart after that defeat and concluded, albeit wrongly, that their ‘‘Mwari/Unkulunkulu’’ wasn’t as strong as the white man’s God.

The 1896-7 Chimurenga/Umvukela was an ideological war pitting indigenous religion against the Western religion and which went on to mark the deep spiritual war, which some Zimbabweans believe has to be ended before prosperity visits this beautiful country.

‘‘History is replete with religious wars which culminated in a people being subjugated. Look at how the Red Indians in North America found themselves at the receiving end and they haven’t recovered up to now. If you want to control a people, make them despise their culture. That way you make them rely on you forever,’’ Mr Samson Sithole, an anthropologist, said.

Various attempts have been made to appease the spirits of the dead after independence.

The Fallen Heroes of Zimbabwe Trust, then led by the late Cde George Rutanhire, conducted numerous exhumations and reburials of former freedom fighters.

Mr Knowledge Mhlanga said when he was on attachment with the National Museums of Zimbabwe, he was aware of efforts to bury the ghost.

‘‘I know Dr Godfrey Mahachi, did something to appease the dead comrades. It may not have been enough, but the Government did something to that end,’’ he said.

Traditionalists maintain that it should not be a one-size-fits-all as each clan has a unique way of burying its departed ones.

‘‘Each clan has its own special way of burying its own. To illustrate, the Mlambos of Chikore make incantations as they bury their dead and that is different from the Moyo clan. By the same token, other tribes like the Zezuru, Manyika, Ndebele, Nambya and so forth do their burials in a special way. With that in mind, reburials are a must and only then can the wandering spirits of those who died in the war be put to rest,’’ said traditional leader, Mr Maxwell Jenya.

Following the traditional leader’s syllogism, one may surmise that DNAs have to be conducted on those buried in mass graves so that they could be buried by their respective clans so that their spirits could be accepted in the world beyond. Again, there are cases where a dead comrade would spiritually help his/her relatives to get to the shallow graves they were interred.

In the 1990’s, one Cde John led his family to Nyanyadzi where he had been buried in a shallow grave and later, was his remains were exhumed and reburied in Mashonaland Central.

His story isn’t unique. A Mutema villager, Mr TsukumaChijokwe (96) said there must be an indaba of all spirit mediums in the country following which, through their intermediation, the spirits of the land would be assuaged to visit this country again.

‘‘A lot of people died during the war and in the spiritual realm, the country is at war; thus, there is an urgent need to have a spirit mediums meeting. Chiefs can spearhead that process, and then you would expect a positive change in the fortunes for our dear country,’’ said Mr Chijokwe.

As the country celebrates the 39th anniversary of Heroes Day, there is jubilation everywhere, but perhaps this spiritual closure is important for the country.

The New Dispensation appears equal to the task as President Mnangagwa continues to engage traditional leaders from various parts of the country.

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