By Blessing Vava
It is exactly five years since
the Committee of the Peoples Charter
(CPC), launched the inaugural Samora
Machel Public lecture at the New Ambassador Hotel in Harare in 2010 to celebrate
and remember the life of Comrade Samora Moises Machel.
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| Comandete Moises Machel |
The inaugural launch drew eminent
speakers drawn from various civil society organisation, with the guest of
honour being the Deputy Ambassador of
Mozambique First Secretary of the
Mozambican Embassy His Excellency Mr Ossisa.
The 19th of October will
forever be engraved in our hearts as we remember a great revolutionary,
Mozambican President Cde Samora Machel who was killed by the apartheid counter
revolutionares together with 34 other comrades on their way from a peace
keeping mission in Zambia.
It is not a secret that this revolutionary
belongs to that class of great icons of our struggle, despite efforts from Rhodesian forces who were
instrumental in creating and sponsoring a rebel force RENAMO, Machel did not succumb, and he indeed offered
brotherly solidarity to Zimbabwe.
Machel understood that even Mozambique’s
political independence could not be complete without the liberation of our
brothers and sisters across the borders in the region and the continent,
particularly those who were under white minority regimes in the then Rhodesia
and South Africa. Years to come he was instrumental in coming up with the ideal
of the Frontline States, a SADCC initiative that also sought to assist bring
freedom to South Africa.
Samora was not obsessed by
divisive tactics but his call was for Zimbabweans to be united. His speech in
1980 was a piece of advise to our leaders when he said; "To ensure national unity, there must be
no Shonas in Zimbabwe, there must be no Ndebeles in Zimbabwe, there must be
Zimbabweans. Some people are proud of their tribalism. But we call tribalists
reactionary agents of the enemy.''
Machel believed in a multi ethnic-cultural approach
and his vision for a liberated Zimbabwe whose revolutionary goal was to unite
everyone regardless of race, religion, ethnic origin and religious belief.
Therefore, as we celebrate the
life of Samora, we pay tribute to the people of Mozambicans who were also victims
during of our struggle, thousands of their nationals perished as they assisted
Zimbabwe attain her independence from the settler regime.
Such great sacrifice, should forever be
cherished.
As we remember Machel, the
youth of this generation should always
be inspired by the works of this great
leader and his desires to see development in the continent. It is a call to duty to fight for
the future of Zimbabwe. Like Che Guevara said: “The revolution is not an apple
that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall.” The generation of
President Machel did not fail, they refused to, for Samora was a man who attached so much
importance to the national liberation of the African people.
His conviction, selflessness, devotion,
dedication and commitment to the cause of his people was to him more than just
a question of principle: it was a way of life.’
As we commemorate Machel, we
should always remember the responsibilities and challenges we face for us not
to move away from the solid principles that drove the vision of luminaries like
Samora Machel.
However, we continue to ask ourselves
if we have been able to produce
cadreship in the calibre of Machel to serve society as we seek not only to undo
the legacy of colonisation/greed, corruption and undemocratic tendencies that
seek to marginalise the poor but to rebuild a just society in the light of the
vision Samora Machel and his generation advanced.
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| Presidente Castro and Machel |
The revolutionary task at hand
is enormous, for us to succeed in defeating the dictatorship of Robert Mugabe
we need to have a situation that produces self-motivated, disciplined and
committed individual cadres who can apply their minds on defining issues of
the day?
Dedicated and fearless leaders
in the mould of Machel are needed to lead society.
However, such leaders do not
just sprout, they are nurtured and groomed to be able to lead the struggle for
a prosperous Zimbabwe. Political and ideological clarity is a fundamental
aspect that gives us proper meaning for the struggle for social democracy.
Comrades should always read struggle documents
in order to answer the questions of ordinary people about the past struggles
and what needed to be done to take the struggle forward.
In conclusion I quote one of Samora's
famous statements during one address, ''Aluta Continua ! Aluta Continua! Aluta Continua! contra o que? Against what
must the struggle continue? Against Tribalism ! Against ignorance, Against illiteracy, Against exploitation,
Against superstition Against misery, Against hunger, Against lack of lack of
clothing.'' That was the great orator, great leader of our struggle, we will
always remember.
Blessing
Vava writes from Chipinge. He can be contacted on blessingvava@gmail.com,
Twitter @blevava
