The word hero has been grossly abused in Zimbabwe by leaders who either cannot define the word correctly or do not care about the effects of their dishonest declarations. A national hero should be an embodiment of qualities that inspire and unite a nation. Such qualities include (but are not limited to) courage in the face of adversity, a readiness to fight injustice and unshakable moral principles. Yet in our country, drug addicts, thieves, prostitutes and corrupt individuals have been declared national heroes. Others have been declared liberation war heroes even though they never participated in the war of liberation. The real national heroes of Zimbabwe have been pushed to the sidelines where they have been silenced and ignored by the ruling elites.
There is a lot that has to be considered before anyone can be conferred with national hero status. We have had some musicians who have been declared provincial or national heroes but there was absolutely nothing to support the declarations. If a musician cannot manage his/her life, or his /her immediate family, what kind of role model can the artist be to his/her society? A hero must leave a legacy of exemplary behaviour and an unwavering commitment to the welfare of others beginning with his family. Some artists were known for being serial cheaters to their wives and yet they are considered heroes.
It is a fact that star artists are confronted by many evil forces which threaten to lead them to an immoral life. True heroism which deserves recognition is the ability to fight all such temptations to live a life of debauchery. Unfortunately, in Zimbabwe we have had a number of scandals involving top artists. We had the Joe Mafana diary scandal that went viral throughout the country. We also had the Tafadzwa love triangle which almost wrecked a top artist’s family and career. Even though music fans had tried to assist the artist by warning him that the woman was the wife of a jailed robber, their advice fell on deaf ears. These things must never have happened.
Top artists must inspire the nation as a whole through impeccable conduct. Their legacy must be worthy emulating by the whole country and beyond. In Zimbabwe’s music industry, we have great artists like Thomas Mapfumo, Lovemore Majaivana, Leornard Dembo, Ambuya Stella Chiweshe and Solomon Skuza, among others, who in my view, deserve national hero status. These men and women were/(are ) not perfect but they (have) managed to keep their family and artistic lives in order in the public eye. They have stayed away from controversy. Controversy in the lives of star parents can disturb children at school (being mocked by other children) and their spouses will lose public respect. Worst of all, vices by a top artist are copied by many young people.
If the ruling elite has no clue on the true qualities of a national hero, they must consult citizens before any declaration is made. When an artist is very good but a drug addict, his popularity must never be used as an excuse to declare him a hero. Such kind of national decisions can harm the social fabric of our nation. Although no one is perfect, people who have notoriety for drug abuse, drug trafficking, violence and marital infidelity must never be celebrated as heroes. We cannot sacrifice our national values and mislead our youths by honouring a few individuals who have/(had) no direction in their lives. Why must we celebrate those who failed to manage themselves and lived morally-decadent lives as if this country lacks real heroes? The national hero status must be awarded to those who truly deserved it such as Jairos Jiri, Dumiso Dabengwa, Safirio Madzikatire, George Shaya, Langton “Schoolboy” Tinago, Artwell Mandaza and Thenjiwe Lesabe. These were true national heroes, shining beacons of what it means to be a hero/heroine.
After observing what many artists in Zimbabwe enjoy doing such as taking drugs, abusing alcohol and prostitution, I thought seriously about how I have to live my life. I chose my mother’s style of life: sober, presentable, dignified, mature, honest and God-fearing. As the only male left in my immediate family, I decided to be a unifier of the family, bringing the family together in love and harmony. When both parents die, as happened to me and my siblings, it’s like the sky falling on you. If people are not careful, the family disintegrates. What usually brings family members together when the parents are gone is the way you were brought up. My number one hero was my mother.
I learned a lot from my mother. She was very generous. She entered into fashion because of the white lady she worked for who encouraged her and provided designer clothes for her. Some models used to approach her in search of designer clothes to wear during the Miss Norton Beauty Contest. They would borrow clothes to wear for the competition. One of the ladies who benefited from my mother’s benevolence was none other than Catherine Jackman who competed for Miss. Norton and later Miss. Harare. She is the same famous lady who ended up jointly owning a clothing shop at Corner First Street and Union Avenue with Josh Makawa. They traded under the name Karls Fashions. Their clothing shop was called Josh and Cathy. My mother had also created a good working relationship with Mrs. Kingsdale who owned the Kingsdale Farm. Mrs. Kingsdale used to frequent the United Kingdom which was her second home. Consequently, my mother would receive a lot of UK goods through her which she would use to benefit many people in the Norton community. My mother was a hard worker and very adaptable to what her employers wanted her to do. As a result, her employers liked her very much.
Besides being able to sew clothes for sale, she was also very good at using her hands to knit a number of items such as table cloths, bed spreads, jerseys, hats and baby sets. Our mother taught us the value of hard work and the virtue of selflessness.
From my father I learned a lot about cooking. I have since become a good cook owing to his conceited effort in imparting his exquisite culinary skills to us. Those who have tested my food can testify about my exceptional cooking ability. I love healthy foods. With the advent of the internet, I have improved myself very much through watching professionals cooking and sharing their recipes with the world.
In a family set-up, one among the children must take the responsibility of becoming a family unifier. Bringing together a family does not need a person who is selfish, arrogant, greedy, evil and a pretender. I have bestowed upon myself that role. The most important thing is to have genuine love for family members and be ready to forgive those that may overstep their marks.
It is my responsibility to look after my two sisters with their children and grandchildren the best I can. My children come first on the lineup. I am currently building a Jenaguru Village with 16 houses for all my children and family. It’s a homestead where an entire family could reside.
What I have seen other music legends doing really bothers me. When a music legend dies, vicious fights for property usually erupt and these sometimes escalate beyond imagination and end ugly. This exposes poor planning and lack of foresight by the music legends. This must never happen. Our children love their local music icons and follow them on every music platform they may be. I have much respect for music icons who have shown order in their private and public lives. What they do privately does not affect what they do in public. That is called self-management and I wish all music stars could do it right.
We all have issues in our families but we must never wash our dirty linen in public. We must keep our private lives under wraps, watching our steps each and every day. Our fans must not only talk about our inspiring music but also admire the way we carry ourselves in public. To avoid squabbles in the family, the solution lies in sharing equitably whatever might be on the table. In my case, each kid has own house with title deeds. All the title deeds fall under a family trust which will never allow any house to be sold.
When my father passed on, we had two houses in Katanga Township, Norton. I gave one house to my younger sister who did not have a house of her own. All the moveable property that belonged to my father I gave to his relatives such as uncles, aunts, cousins and nephews. Life is not just about accumulating lots of properties; it is more about embracing those around you and ensuring they enjoy life as much as you do. As we grow older, we must show greater wisdom and become role models to our children and community.
I think Vice President Comrade Constantino Guvheya Chiwenga can leave a lasting legacy if he teams up with Advocate Nelson Chamisa to form a formidable alliance that will fight to alleviate poverty in Zimbabwe. Advocate Nelson Chamisa has millions of followers. He is a living hero. I urge you to put aside party politics and embrace each other to make Zimbabwe great again. The ZANU (PF) model of antagonistic leadership has dismally failed. We must learn to work together as a family no matter how much we may differ on policy issues.
It’s time for sober senses. Zimbabwe is bigger than personal egos. I was shocked when Professor Welshman Ncube and Honourable Tendai Biti betrayed Advocate Nelson Chamisa. I had a lot of respect for the two gentlemen. They were living heroes but they lost my trust and support the very moment they played their cowardly game. Heroes do not vacillate. A hero is a person who is admired for his/her courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities. I rank the following people among my heroes for being consistent in their political lives; Advocate Nelson Chamisa, Margaret Dongo, Fadzayi Mahere and Ostallos Siziba.
It is shocking to find that there are a few individuals who blame or accuse Advocate Chamisa for his belief and trust in God in whatever he does in his political life. I remember one of these so-called activists who has been so vocal criticising Advocate Chamisa about what he believes in saying Godisinit”. We do not have short memories. We know that this so-called activist is the same person who betrayed Dr Simba Makoni when he had launched his political party called Mavambo. Zimbabwe’s constitution allows for freedom of worship. So, Advocate Chamisa is free to believe in God. For him God comes first in his life whether or not he is a victim of vote rigging. The chosen one will one day prevail come what may. Many will recall the political journey of Mr. Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia. He had spurious allegations levelled against him and was thrown into prison but he did not give up. God was in it: he is now the beloved prime minister of Malaysia.
Many Zimbabwean politicians can be compared with former deputy president of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Floyd Shivambu who now behaves like a useful idiot. Among these are Tino Machakaire, Taurai Kundishaya, Patrick Chinamasa, Godwills Masimirembwa and Owen Mudha Ncube. These are people whose agenda is to derail the people’s march towards freedom. Let me unequivocally tell them that their efforts are doomed for freedom is coming tomorrow.