By Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube
Zim GBC News Editor
BULAWAYO – The Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) has issued a solemn message commemorating Heroes and Defense Forces Day, paying tribute to its foundational leaders and the countless unsung fighters who brought about the nation’s independence.
In a statement released from its headquarters in Bulawayo, the party urged Zimbabweans to remember the ultimate sacrifice made by the combatants of its military wing, the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA), many of whom lie in unmarked graves with their names lost to history.
“Their ultimate sacrifice towards the independence and freedom of Zimbabwe should never be forgotten,” the statement read.
The party listed a roll call of its pioneering leaders, including the father of the nation, Dr. Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, its first President; renowned physician and nationalist Dr. Tichafa Samuel Parirenyatwa; and the revered intelligence chief and later party President, Dr. Dumiso Dabengwa.
Other luminaries mentioned were the party’s first National Chairman, Rev. Ndabaningi Sithole; military strategist and ZIPRA Commander, General Lookout Masuku; and the force’s first Commander, Alfred Nikita Mangena. The list also honored key figures like Jason Ziyapapa Moyo, Jane Lungile Ngwenya (a pioneering leader in women’s affairs), and George Silundika.
A Legacy of Liberation
ZAPU, founded in 1961 by Joshua Nkomo after a split from the National Democratic Party (NDP), was a primary vehicle in the fight against colonial rule. Its military wing, ZIPRA, commanded by General Masuku and orchestrated by intelligence supremo Dabengwa, was a formidable force, renowned for its conventional warfare strategy.
Following independence, ZAPU was initially in a coalition government before being subsumed into a Unity Accord with ZANU-PF in 1987. The party has since re-established itself as a distinct political entity, continuing to advocate for the ideals of the liberation struggle.
The Heroes Day statement serves as a powerful reminder of the party’s central role in Zimbabwe’s history, separate from the dominant narrative often focused on its rival.
The message concluded with a call to action, stating,
“May we apply ourselves to continue with the revolutionary struggle they started till Zimbabwe is genuinely free.”
Lest we forget.
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