Tinotenda Hove – The burial of late National Hero Brigadier General (Retired) Mark Charles Chimwaza at the National Heroes Acre on Saturday descended into a familiar display of political grandstanding, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa using the solemn occasion to recycle ruling party rhetoric instead of offering meaningful national reflection.
Rather than centring the moment on grief, unity and the welfare of ordinary Zimbabweans and veterans, Mnangagwa delivered sweeping slogans that critics say have long lost substance. “Let us make sure that community by community, ward by ward sector by sector we contribute to the Zimbabwe we all want,” he said, a refrain frequently repeated at state events but rarely matched by tangible progress.
In recounting Chimwaza’s liberation war history, the President again blurred the line between the state and the ruling party, emphasising service to ZANU rather than to the nation as a whole. He noted that the late general “went to Tembwe for security training and he was deployed to Maputo where he provided security to the ZANU leadership,” reinforcing perceptions that national recognition remains closely tied to party loyalty.
Mnangagwa also highlighted Chimwaza’s foreign military training, saying many freedom fighters were sent “to far off countries for further military training in Romania where he specialised in field and artillery training,” adding that “he took several military courses in line with his ranks.” While the history was laid out in detail, observers noted the conspicuous absence of any acknowledgment of Zimbabwe’s current economic hardships or the struggles faced by many former combatants.
For many viewers, the ceremony once again raised uncomfortable questions about the politicisation of Heroes Acre, with a national shrine appearing less a place of shared mourning and more a stage for reinforcing liberation credentials amid a worsening national crisis.