The Sunday Mail
Bulawayo Bureau
THE gala to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the passing of former Zanla Commander, General Josiah Magama Tongogara, will be held in March.
It will be preceded by an art and pictorial exhibition at the National Art Gallery in the capital on February 4.
Mr Hondo Tongogara, one of Gen Tongogara’s sons, told our Bulawayo Bureau that the gala, which was initially scheduled for February 4, has been moved to March.
He said although Gen Tongogara died on December 26 1979, the gala was set to coincide with his birthday.
“We are organising the gala. We had set the date to coincide with his birthday on 4 February, but the gala will now be held at a later date, sometime in March, mid-March to be precise. This is because the venue —the HICC (Harare International Conference Centre) —– is undergoing renovations, and I am informed that they will be through in March. On 4 February, we are, therefore, to have the art and pictorial exhibition at the National Art Gallery in Harare,” said Mr Hondo Tongogara.
He added that there were a number of projects that they were doing in honour of Gen Tongogara.
“There is the Josiah Tongogara Foundation that is helping more than 30 academically gifted children who cannot afford to pay their fees. We are happy most of the students performed very well in the ‘A’ Level examinations. We are trying to make sure they get money to proceed to university and the gala is just for that cause,” he said.
He thanked the new political dispensation for recognising their father’s role in the liberation of the country, adding that as a family they would continue pushing for his ideals to be upheld.
Last year, King George Barracks, which houses the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) and Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) headquarters, were renamed Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in honour of the revered late nationalist.
“Our father together with most of the liberation war heroes fought for total emancipation of the black people. He was a straight-talker who was very clear on what he wanted for the independent Zimbabwe. He fought for freedom, empowerment, unity and education and these are the ideals that we want realised by all Zimbabweans as a foundation.”
Mr Hondo Tongogara said the gala would be graced by performances from a number of prominent artistes.
“We have already spoken to a number of the country’s prominent artistes and they have all confirmed their presence. In fact, they are all raring to go and I am quite hopeful it will be successful. The list of artists is big, the response from our artists was just overwhelming,” he said.
Gen Tongogara was born on February 4 1938 in Shurugwi and died on Boxing Day in 1979 in a car accident, which occurred in Massinga District, Inhambane Province in Mozambique, soon after the Lancaster House Agreement that gave birth to independent Zimbabwe.
He was declared national hero and interred at the National Heroes Acre.
