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Cde Chimene

By Nyore Madzianike recently in Mozambique
THE remains of two liberation war fighters who died during the November 1977 Chimoio bombings in Mozambique were exhumed on Saturday by a Zimbabwean delegation that was visiting shrines where some freedom fighters lie buried, as part of this year’s Heroes’ Day celebrations.

The remains will be taken for reburial at their respective families’ home.

Some of the remains were found a few metres from the fence which secures the Chimoio mass graves, while others were found inside the camp.

Thousands of freedom fighters were buried in mass graves at Nyadzonia, Nyangawo and Chimoio after they were brutally killed by the Smith regime.

Family members of one of the liberation fighters that were part of the delegation which travelled to Mozambique and visited the shrines, said they were only alerted to the existence of their relative’s remains a fortnight before the visit.

Mr Stain Chigogo, brother to the late Cde Chisora Chigogo, whose remains were exhumed a few metres from the fence securing the mass graves, said they were going to take the remains to Kaitano Village in Mt Darwin for reburial.

Cde Chigogo was known as Cde Chesango.

Some bones and a skull were found under a tree at the scene.

“My sister fell into a trance and my brother started talking through her.

“He told us that he died during the attack and his remains were here. This was two weeks before we came here.

Mr Chigogo said he wanted them to take his remains and bury them next to their late father.

“We then followed what he said and that brought us here,” he said.

Mr Chigogo also said the spirit that possessed his sister, which they believed was his brother’s, told them that some of his remains were eaten by dogs while the rest were displaced by farming activities being done in the area.

“We were told that he died of hunger after the attack.

“He could not walk to get help in time, resulting in his death,” he said.

Cde Chigogo had left Chida Village under Chief Chiswiti, Mt Darwin, in 1974 to join the liberation struggle before he died in the attack which was targeting refugee camps.

The other family, Gudyanga, from Nyanyadzi was not certain about the place where their relative died after the attack, but still insisted on taking home some soil from the area to undertake a proper burial.

Fallen Heroes Trust of Zimbabwe secretary for culture Cde Charles Nyatsanga and deputy chief exhumer Cde Anyway Chinyani led proceedings during the exhumation.

“We have exhumed remains of two fallen heroes, who were killed during a Rhodesian attack.

We will take home their remains for proper burial,” said Nyatsanga.

Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Cde Mandi Chimene led the delegation, which comprised teachers, civil servants and youths from Ma nicaland.