My Hero, My Zim

My hero is Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai -He and his party’s inclusion in the inclusive government has made life better for the people – Loice Banda

My hero and herone is my father and mother who are taking care of me. They are the ones who are struggling to pay school fees for my education. These my heroes -Prince Tholana

My Strive Masiiya- He has managed to congure the world with his Econet wireless company. I am pround of him because no Zimbabwean has ever achieved such a feat- Taurai Mabika

My hero is the late footboller Joel Shambo.Together with a group of yesteryear soccer legends, they took our football to greater heights -Andrew Mukono

My hero is Joshua Nkomo on the basis that if you look at the issue of state formation and the issue of the liberation struggle, in 1980 the most senior nationalist was Joshua Nkomo. But despite what he went through he never compromised on the nature of the state that he fought for and what he wanted it to be. If you look at critical questions such as the land issue for example, he talked about these issues as early as the late 80s. But these issues were then hijacked by those looking for political power, those who wanted to use such critical issues to gain political power. In terms of values of nationhood, what he stood for, what he went through, how he was treated by the post independent government and how he remained true to what he fought for I think he stood for what we aspire to be. My Hero – Pedzisai Ruhanya

My hero is Mbuya Nehanda. When I read what she did under her circumstances , I do not think anyone beats her. Unlike smart hero who are sometimes given accolades yet they never physically participated in politics, Mbuya the Great as I call her, was the first female to come out clean and openly show that she was fighting colonial injustices. I respect her. – Blessing Vhama

“My hero is myself. I would say so because I was the first woman to clear the path for democratic forces to come into being. I was the first independent candidate in an independent Zimbabwe and I was the first woman to challenge the electoral system after independence.

“I was the first woman to start the Zimbabwe Union of Democrats and I escaped a petrol bomb attack on the 12th of August in 1998 in St Mary’s, Chitungwiza. I was the co-founder of the war veterans association that is now being used by Mugabe today. So I have a lot to talk about myself before i talk about other people.”- Margaret Dongo

I do not know his real name but he was using the name Kill Blaster Vachena. I was 15 years old back then and I did not understand the reasons for the liberation struggle. Kill Blaster Vachena explained to me in detail the cause of the war and gae me the courage to support the comrades. He was a very brave man but I never got to know his real name. – Elijar Bhema

My political hero in Zimbabwe is President Robert Mugabe considering his credentials as a political figure. However, outside my hero is Cyril Ramaphosa, a South African politician who went the same footprints that I am actually walking. He engineered the country’s constitution just like I did with the new constitution but surprisingly was not part of the next government and he remained in the party’s structures until he came back and was elected Deputy President of the African National Congress at the ANC National Conference in Manguang in December 2012. Similarly I am not going to retire from politics because I have lost in our party’s primary election. I will continue working for my party and the country is given the chance to but for now I will take comfort in what my hero went through and achieved at national level. – Former Zanu (PF) COPAC Co-Chairman, Paul Mangwana

Joshua Nkomo is my ultimate hero. I admire his nationalist and revolutionary credentials that decried tribalism and racism. He was tolerant and compassionate. – Deputy Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs Obert Gutu

My hero is Chinx Chingaira. If there were no people like him, the morale among the comrades would have been very low. To me he is the symbol of the values of the liberation struggle. – Nobert Matinenga

My two heroes are the late Edgar Tekere and Dumiso Dabengwa. Tekere was a downright and principled leader who stuck to values of the liberation struggle.

Before and after Zimbabwe attained independence he would take a swipe at selfish and greedy political leadership which enriched itself at the expense of the struggling majority.

When corruption manifested itself among Zanu (PF) leadership at a time the economy of Zimbabwe was fast moving to the edge, Tekere criticised corrupt tendencies of Zanu (PF), leading to his expulsion from the party.

He strongly disagreed with Mugabe’s push for a Zanu (PF) one party state.

“A one-party state was never one of the founding principles of Zanu (PF) and in Africa, has brought about corruption, nepotism and inefficiency,” he told Mugabe and other Zanu (PF) leadership.

To underscore his abhorrence to corruption, Tekere told the nation that when he dies, he did not want to be buried at the national heroes’ acre, since it was a cemetery for high profile thugs.

Zapu leader Dumiso Dabengwa is another deserving national hero. Ever since he joined the struggle, Dabengwa has been preaching national politics and indiscriminate development of regions for the benefit of Zimbabweans from across the political divide.

Dabengwa’s spirit to bring about true democracy to Zimbabwe remains unbroken despite arrests, humiliation and segregation at the hands of Zanu (PF).

Despite the huge benefits which come with boot-licking and hero praising Mugabe in Zanu (PF), Dabengwa pulled out of the united Zanu (PF) to champion democracy.

He turned down an offer by Mugabe to appoint him vice president as replacement for the late Joseph Msika.

He went through treasonous charges together with Lookout Masuku at the hands of the Mugabe administration.

During the liberation struggle was the ZIPRA Force chief intelligence officer and was popularly known as “Black Russian” because of his military training in Moscow, Russia.- Terence Matanhire

My hero is Jairos Jiri because of his humanitarian work he did. He led a selfless life helping the disabled people such that his wife became a pauper as he dedicated most of his earning towards helping needy people, using the Christian principle for charity. – Deputy Minister of Media and Information and Publicity Murisi Zwizwai

It will take me some time to go down memory lane and come up with a deserving national hero. Attributes of a true hero do not come cheap.

It takes more than mere friendship and comradeship for one to be bestowed with a hero status. I will give you the name of my ideal hero next week after probing my memory. – Iain Kay

My hero is Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ came to change the world, He taught us servant leadership, He taught us humility. Through Jesus Christ, I understand the meaning of wisdom. Jesus Christ is my role model. – Nelson Chamisa (MDC-T National Organising Secretary and Member of Parliament for Kuwadzana Constituency)

My hero is the late Jairos Jiri who devoted his life to improve welfare of people living with disabilities.

It is not every day that one would come across such a man, who opened his doors for the physically challenged strangers.

What Jiri provided for people living with disabilities, remains a pipe-dream achievement for government through its social welfare ministry.

Jairos Jiri was born in 1921 and died in 1982. He was a philanthropist.

Helping the disabled was his childhood dream.

He started creating facilities for the disabled in the 1940s, using Christian principles of charity and patience.

Jiri founded Jairos Jiri Centre for the disabled in Bulawayo in 1950.

The centre capacitated the disabled to engage in pottery, painted artefacts, sculptures, wall plaques, tiles and tiled tables among other handcraft. – Edmore Muleya

My hero is my mother. She worked so hard to look after us. In terms of sport, my hero is Diego Maradona. He is quite an inspiration to me and I grew up admiring his skills on the pitch. (Diego Armando Maradona is an Argentine football coach as well as a former player. He is considered by some football experts as the greatest football player of all time.) – Alois Bunjira (Former CAPS United and Warriors striker)

MDC-T Leader Morgan Tsvangirai is my true hero. Tsvangirai showed unprecedented bravery as he challenged President Robert Mugabe to the political fighting ring.

This was at a time when Mugabe and Zanu (PF) were at their strongest, challenging who ever dared to form their own political party.

Tsvangirai took the challenge and championed the struggle for true democracy. Despite the risks, he continues to stay the course.

Born in March 1952, Tsvangirai grew up into the first politician to beat Mugabe at the elections. In March 2008 he garnered 47.8percent of the presidential vote against Mugabe’s 43. 2 percent.

Out of his selflessness, Tsvangirai pulled out of the June 27 presidential election re-run, to save lives of Zimbabweans from the violence allegedly perpetrated by Zanu (PF).

He went on to join the GNU to again help save people from hunger and other associated economic hardships. He is a former trade unionist. – Samuel Machekanyanga

I do not admire a lot of people and I do not want to admire someone. I don’t have an individual that I admire but I admire the principles and ideals of Zanu (PF). Zanu (PF) is a principle party and I admire them for that reason. – Nolbert Kunonga (Bishop of the Anglican Church of the Province of Zimbabwe)

My hero is the National Constitutional Assembly Chairperson, Lovemore Madhuku. He has managed to stand for the truth in the face of criticism which is what the country needs to achieve sustainable democracy. I have seen him being called all sorts of names for the simple reason that he has decided to side with the truth. This is the kind of leadership that we want to see in Zimbabwe, people who will stand by the truth at all times.(Lovemore Madhuku is the Chairperson of the National Constitutional Assembly. Madhuku has been vocal in his opposition of the new constitution and during the referendum he mobilised people to rally behind his “No Vote” campaign which however failed to achieve the desired results) – Wellington Zindove( Director of the Zimbabwe Youth Forum)

My parents come first because of the sacrifices they have made and the examples they set for us as children. One of my heroes is Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was a German theologian in the days of Adolf Hitler. Bonhoeffer rallied Christians to take a firm stance in the evil days of Adolf Hitler. – Chad Gandiya (Bishop of the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa)

I think my number one hero is Edgar Tekere. He is one of the people that have been recorded by history to be very principled. He fought against corruption when it was very rampant. He also fought against the one party state doctrine. So to me, he is a hero in the sense that he fought for democracy. (Tekere is a founding member of Zanu (PF) and in 1988, he was expelled from the party because of his constant criticism of corruption. In 1990, he contested against President Robert Mugabe as presidential candidate for the Zimbabwe Unity Movement. He died in 2011 at the age of 74 and was buried at the National Heroes Acre.) – Zachariah Mushawatu (Spokesperson of the Zimbabwe National Students Union)

My hero is the late Sally Mugabe who was a caring mother with a big heart. She had interests of the poor at heart and championed the cause of the marginalised.

Sally was a forthright personality, who inspired me to devote my life to the welfare of the underprivileged members among communities.

She remains a shinning icon in Zimbabwe and her spirit lives on among the nation.

Sally was the first wife to President Robert Mugabe. She was the Zimbabwe first lady from 1987 until her death in 1992.

She was popularly known as Amai (Mother) in Zimbabwe because of her love for the people.

Sally was a teacher by profession but devoted her life to independent political activism.

She initiated orphanages for the benefit of the less privileged children. – Tracy Mutinhiri

My hero is Ndabaningi Sithole, the founder of Zanu Ndonga. He died a very humble person. He is the person who made the call for Zimbabweans to take up arms and fight for the liberation of this country. He was not corrupt and would stand up for other people. All the other people, maybe with the exception of Nkomo, are now heroes because of Ndabaningi. They are only following the path of Sithole. (Sithole was among the founders of the Zimbabwe African National Union party in August 1963 together with Herbert Chitepo, Robert Mugabe, Edgar Tekere in the Highfields House of Enos Nkala. In 1983, he went to exile in America after declaring that his life was in danger from political enemies and returned to Zimbabwe in 1992.

He was elected to parliament in 1995, and was a candidate in the 1996 presidential election. He however pulled out at the last minute claiming Zanu (PF) was undermining his campaign.) – Gondayi Vutuza (Zanu Ndonga Spokesperson)

To me, the late Vice President, Joshua Nkomo, is a hero because of his sterling work during the liberation struggle and also because of the role he played in unifying Zimbabweans after Gukurahundi. He played a pivotal role in uniting Zimbabweans and ending the tribal tensions between the Shona and Ndebele. – Blessing Vava(Spokesperson of the National Constitutional Assembly)