Heroes & Defence Forces Holidays – A Review

The National Heroes Acre (image source)

From the somber roll call at the National Heroes Acre on Monday, 11 August, to the roar of jets and the rhythmic boots of marching units at Rufaro Stadium on Tuesday, 12 August, Zimbabwe’s Heroes and Defence Forces holidays unfolded with the familiar blend of reverence and spectacle, and a fresh layer of social-media conversation that pulled in politicians and everyday citizens alike.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa led the main Heroes Day commemorations at the National Heroes Acre, where speeches leaned heavily into economic nation-building as a living tribute to those who sacrificed for independence. State media and wire images captured the mood of solemnity, wreath-laying, and the careful choreography that has come to define the ceremony.

The Defence Forces Day parade moved to Rufaro Stadium this year, a decision flagged by the authorities days in advance. Stadium shots posted by national broadcasters under the #ZDF45 tag showed packed stands, parachutists dropping into the arena, and columns of troops wheeling past the saluting base—a reminder that the country’s military calendar remains one of the most watched civic rituals.

At the National Heroes Acre, the President’s address urged citizens to translate remembrance into production to “support national development” in honour of the fallen. That emphasis dovetailed with the broader framing of Heroes Day as a national stock-take on unity and progress, a recurring theme in the coverage. In provinces, Ministers of State presided over parallel ceremonies, reading the President’s speech, conferring medals, and distributing flags to families.

Online, the tone was more variegated. Government-aligned pages celebrated the logistics and turnout, while some opposition-leaning voices used the moment to press governance concerns or to reflect on the inclusive meaning of heroism in 2025. While social posts are, by nature, kaleidoscopic, a scan reveals a broad pattern: pride in the liberation legacy, admiration for the military’s parade craft, and persistent debates about the economy and public services, with the holidays functioning as an annual lens on those arguments. Clips of parachute drops and marching bands drew thousands of views, comments, and shares, illustrating how the ceremonial pageantry remains a crowd-puller, both in-stadium and on screens.

Harare also played host to the cultural side of commemoration, concerts and gala performances that blend legacy songs with contemporary styles. Though the venues change year to year, the formula is time-tested: patriotic standards, liberation anthems, gospel interludes, and a sprinkling of new danceable tunes that keep younger audiences engaged. The effect is to stitch memory to music, which is a Zimbabwean speciality. In Bulawayo, provincial Heroes Acre ceremonies drew a large crowd, with live updates emphasising family participation, the reading of the President’s speech by the provincial minister, and the laying of wreaths—continuity rituals that local communities guard closely. The Defence Forces Day football exhibition, this time a Zimbabwe Select vs Zambia Select match, added the athletic punctuation mark. Highlights posted online showed that sport continues to serve as a soft-power adjunct to the parade, keeping the stands full after the military formations march off.

For many families, it’s the day they bring kids to see uniforms, equipment, and fly-pasts up close; for traders, it’s a day to sell flags, snacks, and memorabilia—a microeconomy orbiting national ceremony. Beyond the set-piece moments, a quieter narrative moved through the capital: private pilgrimages to the National Heroes Acre’s museum and murals, the lighting of the eternal flame, and the retelling of family histories at gravesites across the country.

The shrine’s architecture and symbolism—the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the granite, the elevated flame—have become part of civic literacy, and each August they attract both first-timers and annual visitors, especially school groups. In a year when the National Sports Stadium is under renovation and the city reconfigures its large-event spaces, the logistics of moving thousands safely and efficiently took on added significance. Authorities flagged the Rufaro venue early and used state channels to keep the public informed, part crowd control, part civic education.

As night fell on Defence Forces Day, the social feed cut from stadium lights to family dinners and backyard braais, the national calendar reset until next August, when the rituals will return, bearing fresh speeches, fresh uniforms, and, invariably, fresh debates about how best to honour the past by building the future.