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Workers from a hiring servicescompany pitch up tents in preparation for Heroes Day commemorations at the National Heroes Acre in Harare yesterday

Felex Share and Tendai Mugabe
ALL is set for the Heroes Day commemorations today with thousands of Zimbabweans expected to converge at provincial and district centres across the country to honour those who sacrificed their lives to liberate Zimbabwe from British colonial rule.

Provinces yesterday expressed readiness for the celebrations.

President Mugabe will lead the main celebrations at the National Heroes Acre in Harare.

Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs will read his speech at Provincial Heroes Acres in the other nine provinces as per tradition.

The President will interact with relatives of heroes interred at the national shrine.

Similar celebrations will also be held at various district centres countrywide.

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Harare Provincial Affairs Minister Cde Miriam Chikukwa said it was all systems go for the main celebrations.

She said the organising committee, led by Harare provincial administrator Mr Alfred Tome, held its final meeting yesterday.

“We have about 25 buses which will carry people to the national shrine and people will be picked up at the usual pick-up points,” she said

“Today we are just meeting to tie up the loose ends, which might have been overlooked. People should come and celebrate this day because the freedom that we have today came from the freedom fighters.”

She urged youths to attend the event and draw wise counsel from President Mugabe.

“This is a national event and we expect people from across the political divide to be present because we are all beneficiaries of these sacrifices,” Cde Chikukwa said.

Mashonaland East Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Brigadier- General (Retired) Ambrose Mutinhiri said: “Everything is in place and the organising committee has been running around to make sure the celebrations are a success.

“What we only wait for is for the people to come in their numbers, because this is an important day in the life our country. It was not an easy journey but here we are and we should celebrate those who laid down their lives and brought the country out of colonial bondage.”

In Masvingo, people are expected to converge at the Masvingo Provincial Heroes Acre with Provincial Affairs Minister Cde Shuvai Mahofa officiating.

Cde Mahofa said the province was ready to roll.

“The youths have held a clean-up exercise at the provincial shrine; the fund-raising committee has done its duty and members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces have been deployed and expressed their readiness,” she said.

“The happiness that we have today is owed to the freedom fighters and their sacrifices and, we should celebrate them. I believe the youths should continue to be taught about this day because they are our future leaders who should continue respecting the immense contributions made during the liberation struggle.”

Cde Mahofa said the province lined up various entertainment activities and food would be available for everyone.

People will gather at the Matabeleland South Provincial Heroes Acre in Gwanda town for the celebrations.

The provincial committee responsible for State functions held its final meeting last Friday.

“We’re more than ready for the commemorations as a province,” said Gwanda District Administrator Ms Gladys Zizhou.

“Mobilisation of people has been done and we have received quite a number of donations. All necessary preparations have been done and we have also spruced up the shrine.”

In Midlands, a number of events have been lined up for the celebrations that will be held at the Provincial Heroes Acre.

Provincial Affairs Minister Cde Jason Machaya said: “All is in place for tomorrow’s (today) celebrations. We hope that people will come in thousands to give respect to the gallant sons and daughters of this country who sacrificed their lives to liberate us.

“We have organised that the celebrations have to cascade to district and ward levels.”

Midlands has 176 heroes buried at the Provincial Heroes Acre.

Government erected tombstones and slabs on the heroes’ graves ahead of the commemorations.

Mashonaland Central Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Advocate Martin Dinha said everything was in place for today’s celebrations.

“We are already done with preparations and we have received tremendous support from our black farmers for the ceremony,” he said.

“Rehearsals for the Defence Forces Day on Tuesday (tomorrow) are also underway. As part of this year’s celebrations, we have a clean-up campaign in Bindura and we are also going to send a delegation of youths to Mgagao in Tanzania to have an appreciation of the freedom camp there. We realised that there has been a lot of concentration on Chimoio but there are other freedom camps, which are equally important that our youths should know.”

Thousands of people are also expected to attend the celebrations in Chinhoyi (Mashonaland West), Mutare (Manicaland), Lupane (Matabeleland North) and Bulawayo.