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Message: [QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 81739, member: 636"] A top official says Zimbabwe's freedom fighters saw war as a duty, not a choice. Acting President Constantino Chiwenga stated this during the burial of retired Brigadier-General Mathias Tizirai Ngarava at the National Heroes Acre in Harare. Chiwenga honored Ngarava, who died on Christmas Day, as part of a generation compelled to fight against land theft, economic exclusion, and a loss of dignity. He framed independence as a costly purchase paid with lives, describing those who returned as forever changed and tasked with protecting the nation they freed. Chiwenga argued that merely remembering heroes is insufficient. He called for fulfilling their vision through ethical leadership, clean governance, and economic transformation that benefits all citizens, not just a few. He connected Ngarava's later peacekeeping missions in Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo to a lifelong desire for stability and prosperity within Zimbabwe itself. The true tribute, Chiwenga suggested, lies in the legacy being built today, questioning whether it reflects patriotic service or selfish plunder. He linked this vision to current economic plans, noting progress under the National Development Strategy 1 and stating that accelerated growth under NDS2 requires defeating corruption and focusing on industrialization. The goal of becoming an Upper Middle-Income society by 2030, he insisted, depends on collective ethical commitment and inclusive growth. The service detailed Ngarava's path from a student in Chivi district who left school in 1976 to join the struggle, crossing into Mozambique for military training in Syria. After independence, he joined the Zimbabwe National Army, rising from sergeant to brigadier-general by his retirement in 2023 through a career combining military education and logistics. He received multiple medals for his service and campaigns. Ngarava is survived by two wives and five children. The burial was attended by Vice President Kembo Mohadi, various ministers, diplomats, and other government figures. [/QUOTE]

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