SYDNEY MUBAIWA
CHIKOMBEDZI- Trend -setting sungura dynamo, Mark Ngwazi was undeniably the star of the night with a scintillating performance that left the crowd yelling for more during the Explosive Ordinance Risk Education musical gala held at Dumisa Primary School in Chikombedzi on Saturday.
The crowd was kept on their feet all night and sang along in unison as Ngwazi belted the hit song “Nyaradzo Yababa”. The young Ngwazi justified why the nation’s hopes on the survival of the sungura genre should rest on his shoulders.
The band electrified the audience through their ‘museve’ dances with the crowd cheering him most when he paid tribute to the living and departed music legends through his hit song “Tirangarire Kufa Kwevaimbi”.
As the gala approached its end, members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces gave well polished performances entertaining the crowd who braved the night after travelling from Gezani, Malipati and Chiredzi.
Speaking on the sidelines of the gala, Chief of Staff General Staff Major General Augastine Chipwere said the event was of paramount importance as it was an awareness campaign on the dangers of landmines.
He said it was their duty to ensure that all communities where landmines were planted during the liberation struggle are safe for habitation.
The senior army General said the music gala strengthens Zimbabwe National Army’s relationship with the local community, forming a unity of purpose to fight the landmine menace.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank the community for cooperating well with the members of ZNA during the ongoing demining and border control operations.
“The synergy between the soldiers and the community is symbiotic and dates back to the liberation struggle where our relationship was like that of fish and water. The Gezani community were so resolute in supporting the liberation struggle and I want to implore you to continue working together with the security forces deployed in this area in various capacities to fight this landmine menace,” he said.
He pleaded with villagers not to rush in entering the recently cleared areas as this would expose them to danger.
“I therefore plead with you not to rush entering the already cleared areas to build houses, conduct farming activities, grazing livestock and so on. Some of the cleared area has not gone under quality control to certify that the land is totally clean. Please take note that there are some areas particularly the Madzanda area that have residential risks which we will clear once we complete this current task.
“I therefore urge you not to enter these minefields so that we can save lives and limps of people, livestock and wildlife, ” he said.
He thanked community leaders for their efforts in educating villagers on the dangers of landmines.
“I further want to acknowledge the important role played by local leadership in particular the chiefs, headmen and village heads in educating their subjects on the dangers of landmines.
“I am happy to recognise that this event is being attended by so many children and women as they are our main target for more awareness campaigns.
“They are the most vulnerable groups in our communities particularly when herding livestock, fetching water and collecting firewood,” he said.
In his address, Chief Sengwe paid tribute to ZNA for embarking on the demining programme which he said will create an additional agricultural land for villagers.
The Dumisa community in Chikombedzi was once a treacherous jungle filled with hidden deathtraps .
The land is now being repurposed for sustainable development projects that contribute meaningfully to national programs.
For a number of years, residents of Dumisa endured devastating loses of human lives and livestock with many victims suffering from severe injuries caused by the landmines.
To date, the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) has successfully cleared 96percent of landmines laid during the Rhodesian era as part of the Government’s efforts and commitment to public safety.
During the Rhodesian Bush War in the 1970s, an estimated 3 million landmines were planted along the country’s borders with Mozambique and Zambia
Recognising the dangers posed by these deadly landmines, Government tasked the National Mine Clearance Unit (NMC) with clearing extensive minefield stretching from Crooks Corner to Sango Border Post
