The Friends of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle (FOVLS) has intensified its campaign to preserve Zimbabwe’s liberation heritage, with the organisation targeting the rehabilitation of hundreds of graves at heroes’ shrines across the country.
The organisation, founded in 2022 by its founder and chairperson Wellington Charuka, has already rehabilitated 52 graves at the Harare Provincial Heroes shrine as part of its drive to restore dignity to the resting places of liberation heroes.
The initiative comes as Zimbabwe marked Heroes Day today, with FOVLS calling for greater efforts to preserve the physical and historical legacy of the liberation struggle.
Charuka said the organisation’s vision was to ensure that the sacrifices of liberation heroes were not forgotten, while creating a lasting heritage that could be passed on to future generations.
“Our vision is to see the resting places of our liberation heroes preserved, respected and maintained in a manner that reflects the magnitude of the sacrifices they made for Zimbabwe,” Charuka said.
“Since founding FOVLS in 2022, we have been driven by the belief that preserving liberation heritage is a responsibility that belongs to all of us.
“We have started with the rehabilitation of 52 graves at the Harare Provincial Heroes shrine, but our ambition is much bigger.
“We want to rehabilitate hundreds more and replicate this programme at provincial heroes shrines across Zimbabwe.”
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FOVLS has also undertaken extensive cleaning and landscaping at the Harare Provincial Heroes Acre ahead of this year’s Heroes Day commemorations.
The organisation constructed a quarter guard at the provincial shrine, which will support guard of honour formalities during official Heroes and Defence Forces commemorations.
FOVLS national spokesperson and Harare province chairman Takemore Mazuruse said the organisation regarded the maintenance of heroes’ shrines as an ongoing national responsibility rather than an activity reserved for Heroes Day.
“We cannot celebrate our heroes once a year and forget about the places where they rest for the other 364 days,” Mazuruse said.
“These shrines are part of our national history and must be kept in a condition that reflects the honour and dignity of those who sacrificed for our independence.”
He said FOVLS would continue mobilising communities around liberation heritage while expanding its cleaning, landscaping and grave rehabilitation programmes.
“We have demonstrated what can be achieved at the Harare provincial shrine,” Mazuruse said.
“The rehabilitation of 52 graves is only the beginning.
“Our target is to reach hundreds more and ultimately take this programme to provincial heroes' shrines across the country.”
The organisation also wants to use heritage preservation as a platform for educating younger generations about Zimbabwe’s liberation history.
FOVLS said its work therefore extends beyond physical rehabilitation to include mass education and mobilisation around liberation heritage, with young people being encouraged to understand the sacrifices that brought independence.
The organisation’s campaign has received backing from secretary for War Veterans in the Zanu PF Politburo and Zimbabwe National War Veterans League chairman Douglas Mahiya, who commended FOVLS for its work and encouraged it to expand the initiative to all provinces.
Mahiya said the rehabilitation of graves and maintenance of liberation shrines was important in ensuring that the country’s liberation history remained alive.
Charuka said FOVLS would continue working with communities and relevant stakeholders to expand the programme.
“Our message on Heroes Day is simple: honouring our heroes must go beyond speeches and ceremonies,” he said.
“We must preserve their resting places, teach our children about their sacrifices and ensure that the liberation legacy remains alive in our communities.”
Mazuruse said they remain committed to promoting the values of patriotism, unity, discipline, sacrifice and service to the nation, while ensuring that the country’s liberation heritage receives the recognition it deserves.
