Harare mayor Jacob Mafume on Monday called for the recognition of the late MDC founding president Morgan Tsvangirai as a national hero for the role he played in the democratisation of Zimbabwe.
Tsvangirai, who was the Prime Minister during the Government of National Unity (GNU) era (2009-2013), died on 14 February 2018 after battling colon cancer and was buried at Humanikwa Village in Buhera.
Mafume, who is the councillor for Mt Pleasant Ward 17 (CCC), said that there is no doubt that Tsvangirai should be granted national hero status. He said:
There are some heroes who are yet to be recognised, like Morgan Tsvangirai. They need formal status, heroes who did a lot for the democratisation of this country, heroes who did a lot to accept that we can belong to different parties but still be one nation.
We have no quarrel with the sacrifices made by (Josiah) Tongogara. Neither do we have any quarrel with the sacrifices made by Herbert Chitepo, (Ndabaningi) Sithole and the many other young people who sacrificed their lives for our independence and liberation.
If they respect us, we respect them. If they honour us, we honour them, and that is how a nation should be.
On Monday, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said that the late nationalists Ndabaningi Sithole and James Chikerema will be honoured among the country’s heroes and heroines “despite their areas of weaknesses”.
More: NewZimbabwe.com