GOVERNMENT plans to build a monument in Angola, where hundreds of fallen Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZPRA) combatants are buried in mass graves.
This was revealed by Vice-President Kembo Mohadi during a visit to the mass grave at Boma Shrine in Angola on Tuesday.
Mohadi laid wreaths at the mass grave believed to contain the remains of over 300 ZPRA cadres killed in a bombing raid on February 26, 1979.
He said the government was grateful to the people of Moxico province for the support and shelter they provided to ZPRA freedom fighters during the liberation struggle.
“As the government, we are going to construct a befitting monument and a shrine with a roll of honour so that the history of our country will remain forever,” Mohadi said.
“What happened to these comrades is something that breaks our hearts.
“We are calling for survivors and those who know the names of the comrades lying here to help us so that their families can find closure.”
He said Zimbabwe would never forget the solidarity shown by Angolans during the armed struggle, despite the country being newly-independent at the time.
- Teachers, other civil servants face off
- Veld fire management strategies for 2022
- Magistrate in court for abuse of power
- Vungu Dam water treatment and irrigation project takes off
Keep Reading
“We will forever be indebted to you, the people of Angola, for accommodating us,” he said.
“We are sorry that we took long to come and we will do everything in our power to make sure this place never looks like this again.”
The 10x5-metre mass grave and surrounding unmarked graves are solemn reminders of the sacrifices made by liberation fighters.
The government plans to transform the area into a dignified memorial site under its broader programme to honour fallen heroes buried outside Zimbabwe.
Governor of Moxico province Ernesto Muangala pledged Angola’s support for the initiative.
“We are going to support this. We are brothers since the war,” he said.
“Even after getting independence, we never felt safe without Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa also being free.”
Mohadi also laid wreaths at the Luena Monument of Peace, reinforcing Zimbabwe’s commitment to preserving the liberation war history beyond its borders.
