The Sunday Mail
Sharon Munjenjema
Zimbabwe today celebrates the life of nationalist and Zanu Chair, Cde Herbert Wiltshire Pfumaindini Chitepo, who was killed by a car bomb on March 18, 1975 in Lusaka, Zambia.
He died at 51. As a lawyer and distinguished politician, Cde Chitepo is hailed for his ideology upon which the ruling party laid its foundation.
A school, the Hebert Chitepo Ideological College has already been established in his honour.
The anniversary of his assassination comes as Zanu-PF is ceased with ideological rejuvenation.
In an interview last week, Zanu-PF Politburo member and the principal of the Hebert Chitepo Ideological College, Cde Munyaradzi Machacha, said of Cde Chitepo: “He was an ideologue who contributed immensely to the ideology that ZANU adopted.
“His analysis of the country’s socio-economic situation were essential in attracting the vote of ordinary people. He was also instrumental in making the struggle known and supported regionally and internationally.”
Cde Machacha went on: “Under his leadership, it was mandatory for every cadre who wished to join the party to first go through political orientation. They had to understand why we were fighting the war, what kind of future did we intend to build and who exactly was the enemy. You had to know all this before any military training.”
Cde Machacha said the late nationalist was non-racial and non-tribal, and such values were at the core of the Hebert Chitepo Ideological College.
Cde Chitepo was a founding member of Zanu at its formation in 1963.
The nationalist is well known for his instrumental role in the OAU Liberation Committee’s decision to recognise Zanu and Zapu in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in 1962, which gave Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle international legitimacy.
After the colonial government banned Zanu in 1964, Cde Chitepo left his job in Tanzania and went to Zambia to reorganise the party.
