by Christopher Makaza

The failure to reconnect to the ideological foundation of  our existence through memorialization will wipe away the keenness to safeguard our liberation values, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has said.

Addressing delegates at the launch of Zanu PF Secretary for Administration autobiography, “On the shoulders of the struggle: Memoirs of Political Insider”, Vice President Chiwenga who was the guest of honour said, for too long the narrative of our history has been a presence of institutions disposed to dignifying colonial control on knowledge production therefore it was delighting when a seasoned anti-colonial practitioner reminisces his past and situates his present role within the nationalist movement to preserve history and in the process defining the future.

Dr Chiwenga said the opening of the political space by President Mnangagwa have seen active political participants writing their autobiographies, as in the of Dr Mpofu.

"The launch of Dr Obert Mpofu's book affirms the need to credit His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa for widely opening our political space to frank nation building dialogue. This publication affirms the existence of free political-thought attached to the second Republic. In the past we were only accustomed to the reactionary self-reflection by ousted political actors and those in the opposition. However with the opening of the political space, we have seen active political participants writing their autobiographies which also serve as counter-accounts to our long held to traditions in Zanu-PF," he said.

Vice President Chiwenga underscored that Dr Mpofu's publication was intellectual enriching due to its thematic intersectionality which is interwoven in the direct experiences of an ex-combatant, a former minister, revolutionary academic, businessman and a senior member of the ruling party.

"The exhaustive focus on the land question in this context emphasises the source of Zimbabwe's ideological standpoint against colonial domination rooted in the armed liberation norm. As a result Dr Mpofu's book emphasizes the role of the fast track land reform as a pivot of contested partisan discourses in Zimbabwe from the late 1990s up to the early millennium," he said.

Dr Chiwenga said Dr Mpofu's book is not just about power, guns and blood but the book also re-centres Dr Mpofu as a family man with so much affection for his wife and family. He therefore recommended the book for the young men who may want to extract some romantic charming genius from the old school as espoused by the writer's celebration of his long-time lover Mama Mrs Sikhanyisiwe Mpofu.

Dr Mpofu said President Mnangagwa wants senior party members to leave a legacy which will be traceable understood by the new generation.

"President Mnangagwa wants us to leave a legacy that is clearly understood by those that come after us. In doing so President Mnangagwa urged all members of the party to submit their curriculum vitae so that we leave a revolutionary legacy to our members and those who want to know the history of this country.

"My writing of this book is a true reflection of what transpired and the book which answers a lot of questions which a lot of people did not know about. I discovered when I came to this office that we did not know each other and persuading colleagues to be known through the writing of the history of our struggle,” he said.

Dr Mpofu highlighted that his book chronicled the training he received in preparation of the liberation of the country through combat engagements and what transpired after independence which include the 1987 unity accord.