The award by the Cuban government of the medal of friendship to The Post in recognition of the newspaper’s “permanent attitude of friendship, solidarity and defence of the Cuban Revolution is commendable and richly deserved.

In his famous ‘History Will Absolve Me’ speech, Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro remarked that “the first condition of sincerity and good faith in any endeavour is to do precisely what nobody else ever does, that is, to speak with absolute clarity, without fear”.

Undoubtedly, The Post has fulfilled that condition too well. Certainly Zambia is better than it was partly because of The Post.

I do not seek to cite The Post’s contributions, successes and challenges here (I am certain that it is capable of doing that on its own) but simply say that even if the paper was to be closed today, history and future generations will recognise its role in the transformation of our country since July 1991.

It is interesting that the award was officially handed over to the newspaper on October 23 – perhaps a fitting tribute to the management and staff as they too celebrated our national day. But it is an award that reminded me of an introspective and important question that former South African president Thabo Mbeki posed in one of his weekly letters to the ANC: “Who will define our heroes?”

As I reflected over the award, I could not help but wonder why the paper’s heroic causes and efforts, aimed at creating a just, prosperous and dignified Zambia we can all proudly claim as our own, have not been recognised back home by those in power, on our behalf as national citizens.

Every year on Independence Day, and with a heavy concentration on those who liberated our country, the Zambian government recognises and awards various personalities for their contribution to our country.

It is high time they shifted focus and recognised post-independence heroes. There are many heroes and heroines, living and dead, in the various sectors of our country who have continued to make Zambia and her name great and among these are The Post as an institution and its much hounded individuals like Fred M’membe, whom some have mistaken for the whole paper.

With due respect to its limitations, the newspaper has done a lot to confer on it the necessary honour. Surely, do we have to wait until The Post or some of its members are no more to recognise its or their contribution to our country?

I urge the government to rise above individual differences and medal our heroes with the Order of the Eagle of Zambia first division for their immense contribution to our landscape.

If there is any administration that should do the honour, it is the current administration. But I do not see that coming from the current government. With exception of the wasted decade, never before has The Post operated under such overwhelming difficulty than under the current repressive regime.

Never before have the newspaper’s editors and workforce witnessed violence, sweeping accusations, deeply flawed and politically-charged cases against them than now.

Congratulations and keep up the good work. History will certainly absolve you!