Story by Josephine Mugiyo, Diplomatic Corrspodent
THE nation came together in solemn unity this Wednesday as National Hero Brigadier General (Rtd) Donald Silundi Tshuma was laid to rest at the National Heroes Acre in Harare, in a State ceremony presided over by President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, alongside the First Lady, Dr Auxilia Mnangagwa, Service Chiefs, senior Government officials, and mourners drawn from across the country.
The national shrine was filled to capacity as citizens from all walks of life gathered to honour a decorated liberation war veteran and career soldier, whose life of service spanned the liberation struggle and the post-independence defence establishment. He was remembered as loyal, patriotic and dedicated.
In his address, President Mnangagwa paid tribute to Brigadier General (Rtd) Tshuma, describing him as a disciplined officer who served with distinction before and after independence.
“The late National Hero served our beloved motherland, Zimbabwe, with honour and distinction prior to independence, and thereafter, in the Defence Forces, until his retirement. He was a disciplined and distinguished military officer who provided exemplary leadership within our armed forces,” President Dr Mnangagwa said.
Under colonialism, the country’s culture was looked down upon, and President Dr Mnangagwa said the late national hero was among those who sought to correct that narrative.
“Colonialism tried to belittle our languages and peddle narratives that claimed our history began in 1890, as the white supremacist disregarded that we were a proud and self-reliant and sophisticated civilisation prior to their invasion and theft of our land. The late Cde Tshuma and his generation deconstructed such falsehoods. Their fight restored our history, dignity, identity and destiny. Under the Second Republic, we continue to honour our rich liberation war heritage by recognising our heroes, teaching our customs and promoting our languages, as well as protecting the sacred sites of this country,” he said.
The country has been experiencing macro-economic stability in the last few years, and President Dr Mnangagwa said this is not by accident.
“Our late National Hero, Brigadier General (Rtd) Tshuma, stayed the course and together with his generation, they remained committed to see a prosperous Zimbabwe, where our communities have a higher quality of life. In this regard, it is critically important that, sector by sector, we must take pride and celebrate the evident success milestones. The prevailing macro-economic stability is not accidental. It is a result of our collective discipline, resilience, focus and unity of purpose. Our economy remains on an irreversible growth trajectory, expected at 5% in 2026, following a 6.6% rebound in 2025. The IMF, World Bank, and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa all confirm this trend. The positive results of our policies are undeniable, as we continue with our transition from recovery to acceleration. Energy, transport, water and information communication technology infrastructure are growing at a steady pace,” he said.
President Dr Mnangagwa had a clear message for the youth, they must not allow themselves to be used to denigrate the country.
“To the youth, I want to highlight that the late National Hero, Cde Tshuma, was your age when he crossed into Zambia to liberate our country. We are now enjoying peace, independence and freedom, as a result of the sacrifices of our forebears. I challenge you, therefore, to defend our revolution and reject those who want to use you as tools to denigrate your country. Choose to be part of those building our nation as entrepreneurs across all sectors, including the digital space, in laboratories and on our God-given land. The modernisation, industrialisation and the realisation of Vision 2030 are ours together,” he said.
As the nation laid to rest this gallant son, President Dr Mnangagwa said his legacy and that of others who were before him should continue to be honoured.
