Lest we may forget [OPINION]

By Gilbert Bere
for ZimEye.org

Published: December 31, 2009

(Opinion) A news piece on the BBC’s ten o’clock bulletin on the 23rd December 2009 showed an elderly couple whose son went missing in late 1979 on his way from school, made me recall a few of my own sadnesses and the importance of closure. The news revealed a frail couple in their eighties who appealled to the public on information, no matter how trivial about the disappearence of their loved one, so that they could rest in peace. It filled me with tears as I imagined that for thirty long years this couple lived with that anguish, that bitterness and that sorrow. To me it is both unbearable and unforgivable. As I drifted into my rather sorrowful past, I realized that there are issues which are unresolved but none is as important as the death of those gallant sons and daughters of Zimbabwe who gave their lives for an independent Zimbabwe. Unresolved tragedy warrants closure, to us left living, it is human nature.

Quick to mind are Josiah Tongogara(above), Lukeout Masuku, William Ndagana, Sydney Malunga, Chris Hushewekunze and many others whose deaths remain a cancerous scar on many Zimbabweans’ consciences. I consider myself priviledged to join a chorus of people who want an independent inquiry in the circumstances surrounding their deaths, not for retribution purposes but to allow a new Zimbabwe not burdened by its past to emerge.

Credit is to be given to Mugabe’s ZANU PF for carrying out a botched inquiry with regards to Tongogara’s death. The only problem is that ZANU is the major suspect and benificiary to his mysterious death. To then believe that a credible outcome could be arrived at is too simplicitic and does not appreciate that the stakes were high to Mugabe and his party, hence we ended-up with a hard to believe verdict. However, the people of Zimbabwe did not buy into this, leading to speculations on how our illuminatious sons and daughters’ fate became. Worryingly, the history of our liberation struggle has relegated them to trivial contributions with Robert Mugabe emerging with a lion’s slave.

As we remembered Josiah Magamba Tongogara’s mysterious death on Boxing Day, we as a people should demand an independent inquiry to how our loved ones died. The starting point should be on Tongogara because many people still think that his decision to fight the 1980 elections under Patriotic Front headed by Joshua Nkomo made him enemy within ZANU, leading to his unexplained death.

Lukeout Masuku is another hero whose untimely death robbed us of a central figure to the history of Zimbabwe. Fortunately, since he passed away post independent Zimbabwe, it should not be difficult to establish how he died.

Like the couple featured in the BBC news on 23rd December, thirty long years of waiting to know what happened to their loved ones is torterous and inhumane, the same to Zimbabwe whose scar for our gallant fighters remain in our memories. As we remember the fallen, in particular Tongogara, let us strive to create a Zimbabwe worthy of their blood.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL ZIMBABWEANS. (ZimEye, Zimbabwe)

2 Comments on "Lest we may forget [OPINION]"

Fungayi Makandiwa on Fri, 1st Jan 2010 4:08 pm

wabaya dede numukanwa machewe,but will we ever know the truth about the issue you have raised-aiwa,but never say never.

Stainless steel on Fri, 26th Feb 2010 10:10 am

I am glad to talk with you and you give me great help! Thanks for that,I am wonderring if I can contact you via email when I meet problems.

Lest we may forget [OPINION]

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