Thread by @NewsHawksLive

#HeroesDay
The concept of hero has been corrupted in Zimbabwe. Despite fighting in the liberation struggle some of the war veterans later became rogue elements who went on to harass, terrorise and kill people, making them villains and monsters not worthy of national recognition.

The late war veteran and Zimbabwe National Army Brigadier-General Benjamin Mabenge (Retired) who died recently was declared a national hero by government, despite his record of participating in the Gukurahundi massacres and terrorising his own Kwekwe community, a major tragedy.

According to declassified South African Military Intelligence documents, Mabenge was part of Zimbabwean army commanders who met apartheid South Africa generals in 1982 to discuss how to deal with Zipra and uMkhonto weSizwe (ANC armed wing) forces operating in Matabeleland region.

As the late former president Robert Mugabe prepared to massacre Zapu supporters, Mabenge met with apartheid commanders, Brigadier General Fourie, Col Van de Merwe and senior SA intelligence chiefs.
In one of the meetings, the Harare delegation reported killing "ANC dissidents".

Mugabe waged a war against Zapu and Zipra, and their leadership, his liberation struggle comrades, in a bid to consolidate power and impose a one-party state.
In the process, Mugabe commited genocide against Ndebeles, Joshua Nkomo's main supporters in a post-colonial Zim tragedy.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a key player in Gukurahundi, also met apartheid generals in a plot to crush Zapu/Zipra, and ANC/MK in the context of regional Cold War politics. While Mugabe denounced apartheid, he had strategic security operations with them for political agendas.

Mabenge is not the only one declared a hero with blood on his hands.
Liberation struggle fighters like Perrence Shiri were also given the same undeserved recognition and that also helped to bersmirch the hero concept in Zimbabwe. Heroes don't kill innocent civilians; cowards do.

Acts of heroism are different from acts of bravery. Heroism requires bravery, but acts of bravery don't necessarily amount to heroism all the time.
True heroes go beyond what is expected of them, risking life and limb to benefit others. There is an altruistic aspect to heroism.

In recent times, especially during elections from 2000, some war veterans and army commanders were deeply involved in harassing, terrorising and even killing opposition supporters.
This has left their reputations damaged and soiled despite their liberation struggle credentials.