Coup attempt denies Hamadziripi national hero status

By Lance Guma
26 September 2005

Controversy surrounds the request by the Zanu PF Masvingo provincial committee to recommend the late founder member Henry Hamadziripi, a key figure in the liberation war, provincial hero status. He helped to form Zanu PF in 1963 at Enos Nkala's house in Highfield Harare, alongside Ndabaningi Sithole, Leopold Takawira and Robert Mugabe.

Hamadziripi was detained at Khami and Gokwe prisons for close to four years and later became national organizing secretary after the party's inaugural congress. He was a member of the influential Dare reChimurenga that engineered the liberation war and at the time was the secretary for finance in the party.

He was instrumental in the formation of the Crocodile Commando, an elite force that launched the first attacks in the second chimurenga. The Masvingo province believes he made several mistakes which made him undeserving of national hero status but observers say he challenged Mugabe during and after the war and hence the caution by the province in their request.

Zimbabwean journalist, Pedzisai Ruhanya dismissed the request by the province as 'stupid' and accused them of pandering to Mugabe's whims simply because they knew Mugabe did not like Hamadziripi and felt threatened by him.
Hamadziripi is accused of taking part in plotting a 1978 coup against Mugabe who had gone to Malta for a conference that sought to create a transitional government. Current police commissioner Augustine Chihuri, Minister of Economic Development Rugare Gumbo, Alfred Mhanda of the Zimbabwe Liberators Peace Initiative and the late Mukudzei Mudzi all are said to have taken part in the plot.

Mugabe wanted Hamadziripi and his group executed when the coup failed and kept them in military camp prisons from 1978 up until 1980 when the late Mozambican President, Samora Machel intervened urging unity in the ranks.
While the others licked their way back into Mugabe's favour, Hamadziripi refused to budge and kept criticizing Mugabe even after independence saying he was not suitable to lead the country. For all his contributions Hamadziripi is being buried Monday at Glen Forest cemetery while the party he helped form squabbles over his hero status. Another founder member, the late Ndabaningi Sithole also missed out on the Heroes Acre on account of having challenged Mugabe soon after entering opposition politics and also allegedly trying to assassinate him.