The Financial Gazette

BULAWAYO — The granting of liberation hero status to a 29-year old ZANU-PF provincial youth executive has sparked controversy and reignited debate on the contentious issue, which is part of the outstanding elements of the power-sharing pact.
Lungisani Ngwenya, the Bulawayo ZANU-PF Provincial youth vice chairperson who was found dead in his Bulawayo house, was recently conferred with liberation hero status despite not having participated in the war of liberation.
His family, however, opted that he be buried at his Bubi rural home.
The granting of the liberation hero status has sparked an outcry especially from ZANU-PF critics.
ZAPU spokesperson, Methu-seli Moyo, said the conferment of a heroes’ status on Ngwenya was a mockery because the deceased was only 29 years-old, which meant that by the time he was born the country was already liberated.
“Even the people who granted him the hero status did not explain to us what Ngwenya did to make him deserving of it. They just told us he was a member of ZANU-PF. In a way, it just goes to show that ZANU-PF members are becoming so extinct, such that when they die they are all declared liberation heroes,” said Moyo.
Political analyst, Dumisani Nkomo, said the process of declaring hero status needed to be redefined and overhauled.
“There is need for a redefinition of the liberation hero. I am not saying the late Ngwenya was not a hero, but I am saying there are other people who are more deserving of the liberation heroes’ status than him. I’m talking about people who actually contributed in the liberation war struggle,” he said.
“First of all, the whole process of heroism needs to be re-examined. It has to reflect the country’s values and pride, not just ZANU-PF’s. A hero does not always have to come from ZANU-PF,  there are heroes from other political parties and most of them do not get liberation hero status.”
Filmmaker-cum political commentator, Cont Mhlanga, said the whole process of declaring heroes needed to be redefined so as to eliminate confusion.
“There is no person who did not carry a gun and fight in the liberation struggle that can rightfully be declared a national hero. In my opinion, a person qualifies to be a liberation war hero if they fought in the war.
“However, this latest development could mean that the criteria has changed. If that is so, then I think we should be told,” said Mhlanga, who is currently producing a film on the liberation struggle of Zimbabwe.
“Zimbabweans should take this seriously. It means the definition of who is a hero is being redefined, and if that is so it should be made clear so that we do not get confused. If the meaning of hero is not redefined in this country then, I’m afraid, we will have half the country being declared liberation war heroes.”
Mhlanga said the only people who did not participate in the bush war but still befitting the recognition are those who have made a difference economically.
“The only war we have had post independence has been an economic war, so I would expect individuals who have made strides in the economic recovery of the country to be declared economic liberation heroes. For example, the first person to own a bank, telecommunications company and so forth. 
“What did the late Ngwenya do to economically liberate the country, because I don’t see him being involved in the liberation struggle before 1980,” he said.
But ZANU-PF Bulawayo youth chairperson, Butho Gatsi told The Financial Gazette that the late Ngwenya was declared a liberation hero because of the work he had done for his country. “Lungisani was declared a liberation hero because he was working for his country; he wasn’t a sellout like most young people nowadays,” said Gatsi. “Unfortunately we could not bury him at a heroes acre because his parents requested that we bury him at his rural home.
He did get a gun salute however, and all the other paraphernalia normally availed to heroes,” he added. — Own Correspondent.