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Walter Nyamukondiwa Mashonaland West Bureau
CHINHOYI Municipality has renamed streets after the seven heroes who pioneered the Second Chimurenga, as council bolsters its drive for city status under the “City of Heroes” tag.

This in line with the broader programme to honour the seven famous for the Chinhoyi Battle, including construction of a memorial site and rehabilitation of the mass grave in which the seven heroes are buried and creation of a museum providing information on the battle.

North Drive is now called Godfrey Dube, Midway Street (David Guzuzu), Park Street (Arthur Maramba), Montrose (Godwin Manyerenyere), Commercial Street (Simon Chimboza) and Masonic Lane (Chubby Savana), while Christopher Chatambudza Road remains unchanged.

In an interview, Chinhoyi Municipality spokesperson Mr Tichaona Mlauzi said the development was part of rebranding of the town.

“The renaming of streets is in honour of the seven gallant sons who died during the battle of Chinhoyi. This resonates well with our application for city status because it is known as the City of Heroes,” he said.

“We have applied for City status and a commission has been named to assess our state of preparedness to be accorded the status. We have complied with requirements to advertise and wait for the 30-day window for submissions from stakeholders and residents.”

Government has committed to honour the seven heroes through naming of streets, buildings and enshrinement of key sites of the Second Chimurenga across Zimbabwe.

The shrines are expected to be a tourist attraction as Government seeks to promote Liberation War tourism like what Vietnam has done with the Ho Chi Minh Trails.

The trails were a military supply route including ammunition, weapons and other supplies that ran from North Vietnam via Laos and Cambodia to South Vietnam.