Who is a hero in contemporary Zim?

Heroism has to do with the high credibility one is held by his/her

contemporaries. National heroism goes across political and tribal divides.

One’s selfless sacrifice is naturally reciprocated by the voluntary

goodwill and public appreciation of the masses.

Only the masses can legitimately anoint national heroes and never

individuals. As soon as the participation of the masses in choosing

heroes is made subservient to individuals’ interests, such a process

is bond to produce half-baked results that are not worthy any recognition.

The death of Gibson Sibanda has once again brought to the fore the

ever hanging debate of what makes one a ‘dead hero’ is Zimbabwe.

What is supposed to be a saintly rank worth emulating was long turned

into a poisoned chalice by the way such Zanu (PF) functionaries elected

to run the charade.

The disturbing scenario now is that one has to be a Zanu member,

enjoying good relations with Mugabe or related to him in one

way or another to qualify for a heroic eternal sleep at

Warren Park’s national shrines. Yes! This is a fact.

Even if the all time popular Morgan Tsvangirai is to die today, Mugabe

will never declare him a hero. Honestly is Tsvangirai not a hero?

The list of ‘our’ heroes at the heroes’ acre includes Chenjerai

Hunzwi, Enos Chikohore, Sabina Mugabe and Sally Mugabe. Guess who

will also be joining them at the National Shrine if they die while

Mugabe is still at Munhumutapa building? Joseph Chinotimba,

Didymus Mutasa, Gideon Gono, Jabulani Sibanda, Grace Mugabe, Philip

Chiyangwa or even Jonathan Moyo. This might sound frivolous, but isn’t the sober truth?

Can anyone imagine how the revolutionary contributions of Zimbabwe’s

reverend leaders like Ndabaningi Sithole and James Chikerema were

belittled by a few Zanu hot-heads? They are respectively asleep in

unmarked graves in Chipinge and Zvimba. This

is despite the fact that Zimbabwe history is awash with the duo’s

heroic liberation contributions. The late first President of

Zimbabwe, Canaan Banana, was expediently declared a homosexual guilty of

setting a bad precedent for the youths. The Zanu establishment

regarded his body a plague that would profane the National Shrines. He was buried in Sikombela.

Zimbabweans are now beginning to ask questions like: Does one become a hero by being

pronounced so by Mugabe or the masses? Does an individual have the

moral authority to ascribe such statuses to the dearly departed? Then

the final question on everyone’s lips is: By what power or authority

is Mugabe denying genuine heroes their well deserved rest at the National shrines?

The sanctuary issue has become so contaminated in Zimbabwe to an extent

that the National Shrine has now lost its relevance. This is not

to say all the national heroes sleeping at the Heroes’ acre are

villains. There are great sons and daughters of the soil resting at Warren Park Hills.

It is disturbing to hear people clamouring for Gibson Sibanda to be

declared a national hero. The reason why he was denied the hero status is very clear.

There should be debate about it. He simply did not meet the grade.

What and which grade? one might ask. Of course the Zanu grade. – Sibanengi Dube, by email.