Source: Govt to rewrite liberation war history – NewsDay Zimbabwe
BLESSED MHLANGA
THE Defence ministry has partnered with the Institute of African Knowledge (INSTAK) on a project to rewrite the country’s liberation war history and correct biased narratives peddled by former colonial masters.
Defence deputy minister Victor Matemadanda yesterday said government would use oral evidence to reconstruct the story of the liberation war.
“We are here presented with an opportunity to capture and document our liberation history narrated as first-hand information from our living veterans who took part in the armed struggle. It is important that the history of our liberation is captured from our perspective,” he said.
Matemadanda, however, expressed fear that the record could carry distortions as a result of the ongoing factional fights within the ruling Zanu PF party.
“We are just 40 years into independence, which is almost the same time it took people to write the Bible, but how many agree with the Bible and how many dispute it?” he asked.
“So the question of agreeing and disputing cannot be erased in people depending on perception of what they want, but when you are researching, I am sure you know there is a procedure of researching and validating data.”
Matemadanda called on people to be wary of information they receive, asking them to cross-check with various sources to establish the authenticity.
“It’s not always that what you conclude is going to be accepted by everybody and people have a right to query it depending on the depth of your presentation of your data and information,” he said.
COMMENTS
Don’t forget to include the original people who started to enlighten those about change. The original NAACP in Southern Rhodesia. People like Joseph Culverwell ,now buried at Heroes Acre and others too many to mention . By the way Mr Ed and co who were the first gun runners for the Chimurenga? Let’s see if you all know your history.
We all know our history and some of it we are proud of.
However, what is really troubling us is what is happening right now at this very minute.
And the people who are leading us and claim to have been our liberators are making our lives a misery because of their greed and wickedness. And stupidness.
And that’s what we and our children and their children will always remember. Not what they want us to believe and remember.