The Sunday Mail
Wonder Chakanyuka
When President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced the conferment of national hero status on the late legendary Zimbabwe music icon Dr Oliver Mtukudzi, he once again wrote his own positive history.
I say once again in the sense that last month his Government bestowed the highest honour to Professor Phineas Makhurane, whose academic contribution can be argued to have overweighed his political activities.
No one disputed Prof Makhurane was a national hero on the academic front. The same goes for Mtukudzi in the music and entertainment circles.
President Mnangagwa has critically revisited and corrected defects in the system of conferring the national hero status in Zimbabwe. Since independence in 1980 and under former president Robert Mugabe’s regime, the system of conferring national hero status appeared confined to politicians with a bias towards the liberation struggle.
Those who excelled in other fields or disciplines were seldom awarded the honour. In this light, President Mnangagwa is commended for conferring the national hero status to the late legendary Zimbabwe music superstar Dr Oliver Mtukudzi who died last Wednesday.
Tuku, as he was popularly known, succumbed to a long battle with diabetes in Harare. But the question on who qualifies to be a national hero had remained debatable for a long time.
And the argument re-opened last week as many Zimbabweans and those outside the country murmured that Tuku deserved to be such.
They were only answered when President Mnangagwa announced the unanimous decision that had been made on Tuku’s status.
After the President’s announcement, many people concurred that under the National Heroes Act, former leader Mr Mugabe held the discretion to declare national heroes and heroines, but stubbornly could not recognise some outstanding Zimbabweans in other fields.
An often cited example is that of Jairos Jiri. The late philanthropist dedicated his life and personal resources to uplift the lives of the disabled and formed what is now one of the biggest welfare organisations in Zimbabwe, but was not afforded the highest honour.
The concept of national hero status is noble, but previously it had been selectively limited to liberation war combatants. The honouring of Prof Makhurane and Dr Tuku is a demonstration that President Mnangagwa is indeed a listening President driven to see Zimbabwe progress.
One would further suggest that there be a process to redefine how one is accorded the status. I think The President has set the ball rolling in addressing an issue that has been contentious for many years.
The National Heroes Acre and those bestowed national hero or heroine status marks the country’s physical reminder of the past and acts as a tool for national identity. Attached to the Heroes’ Acre as a permanent physical symbol of nationhood are the people the burial site was built for – the heroes and heroines, including Dr Tuku.
Oliver Mtukudzi was a great singer-songwriter, actor, writer, film director and entrepreneur. With over 66 albums to his name, he was one of Zimbabwe’s top musicians. His career spanned decades, having started around 1975.
While others joined the armed liberation struggle artistes such as Tuku, Thomas Mapfumo, Simon Chimbetu, Zexie Manatsa and Cde Chinx Chingaira to mention a few played a great role during the liberation struggle as their music inspired many people to join and wage a war against Ian Smith’s colonial regime.
With the Wagon Wheels, Mtukudzi recorded Dzandimomotera, a song inspired directly by the Second Chimurenga. Dzandimomotera depicted the black man’s life struggles under the white minority Government.
With the Black Spirits, Mtukudzi recorded many albums including Africa which was done at the country’s Independence in 1980 and included hit song Zimbabwe.
The music icon also denounced Apartheid in South Africa and Namibia calling for peace and independence on the continent.
Apart from being a singer, songwriter and actor, Tuku was a businessman, philanthropist and human rights activist. Thus, almost 39 years after independence, Zimbabwe has finally shifted its focus to the right direction in honouring citizens who excel in other fields other than politics. President Mnangagwa has defined and redefined heroism.
Rest in peace Dr Oliver Mtukudzi – Zimbabwe’s national hero – a music icon.
Wonder Chakanyuka is a Zimbabwean journalist and researcher. He wrote this article for The Sunday Mail.
