Buhera West Member of Parliament Oliver Mandipaka yesterday called on Parliament to include a basic orientation course on the history of Zimbabwe to new legislators as well as in schools and government institutions.
He said that although it was the constitutional right of every Zimbabwean to belong to a political party of one’s choice, Zimbabweans were bound by one common history of their country.
“It is only when we are able to articulate the history of the country that as we sit here we make laws for the good governance of our own people, because we will know where we are coming from,” he said.
“The importance of our national history lies in the power to create national identity and national cohesion, that is the importance of us as Members of Parliament to learn our own history. We need to be conscious of our past…..it might be a challenge then if we lack that knowledge to be able to enact laws that are good for our people.”
When challenged by Glen Norah legislator Webster Maondera that it was disconcerting that some people who once served in Pfumo Revanhu were now purporting to be champions of history yet genuine comrades who suffered died in vain but imposters and hoodlums were pretending to be the champions of history, Mandipaka, a former police spokesman, said he had never been a member of Pfumo reVanhu.
Pfumo Re Vanhu was an auxiliary force created by former Zimbabwe-Rhodesia Prime Minister Abel Muzorewa to fight liberation fighters during his short stint as leader of the country.
“I want it recorded that the accusation by Hon. Member Maondera is misplaced, false and malicious,” Mandipaka responded. “I never served in the Pfumo Revanhu and that must be on record. At one time Hon. Misihairabwi-Mushonga said that but later came here and apologised, it is on record. Madam Speaker, that will not deter me from stating the facts that are true history.”
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