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Walter Nyamukondiwa Chinhoyi Bureau
Government has released about $150 000 for commencement of work on the Chinhoyi Battle Shrine in honour of the seven heroes who pioneered the Second Chimurenga.

President Mnangagwa is expected to officiate at the ground-breaking ceremony for the commencement of the project in the first week of next month.

The project will see the construction of a memorial and rehabilitation of the mass grave where the seven heroes are buried and creation of a site museum providing information on the battle.

In an interview on the sidelines of a preparatory meeting for the project, National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe executive director Dr Godfrey Mahachi said Government is keen on the speedy implementation of the project.

“This is an effort by Government to ensure that the 1966 Chinhoyi Battle and the people who died during that battle are remembered,” he said.

“For this project we have recently received about $150 000 from Government. We want to start the project right away and to that end preparatory meetings are ongoing. Committees have been set up and they should start working immediately.”

The Chinhoyi Battle project, he said is part of a wider enshrinement programme by Government targeting key sites of the Second Chimurenga across the country.

The seven comrades who perished during the Chinhoyi Battle were Simon Chin’ozha, David Guzuzu, Godwin Manyerenyere, Christopher Chatambudza, Godfrey Dube Matsikidze, Arthur Maramba and Sawana Mutendadzamera.

Mr Mahachi said the project should commence as soon as possible and should be completed in the shortest possible time.

Located close to the Mashonaland West provincial Heroes Acre, the project will also see the rebranding of the current museum into a memorial for the seven heroes.

Other components of the project include renaming of streets with names of the seven heroes through signs in distinct colours and symbols signifying their importance.

This will also include renaming of buildings in Chinhoyi town which is already known as the City of Heroes in anticipation of its future upgrading into a city.

One of the key researchers in the project, Father Emmanuel Ribeiro said everything should be done to honour the seven gallant sons in a befitting manner.

“I am glad that the project is finally taking off after spending five years conducting research in to the matter, which involved looking into their actual profiles and locating their relatives,” said Fr Ribeiro.

“The task also involved correcting some misconceptions and inaccuracies around the battle and the characters involved.”

Government joined forces with the ruling Zanu-PF to identify and erect shrines at historical liberation war sites across the country.

The shrine is expected to be a tourist attraction as Government seeks to promote Liberation War tourism.

She said the process will culminate in the reburial of the seven heroes, while also positioning the site as a tourist attraction.

Similar sites are also being identified and set up across Zimbabwe.