Online Reporter
Remember Deketeke
Herald Correspondent
FOUR national heroes, Cdes Saul Gwakuba Ndlovu, Brigadier-General Gibbs Kachana, Herbert Zaba Sambo and Professor Sheunesu Mupepereki were reburied at the National Heroes Acre in a private ceremony attended by their families and Government officials.
The reburials form part of Government’s efforts to accord national heroes befitting final resting places and preserve the country’s liberation history.
The quartet was reburied yesterday, with the programme restricted to family members, although Government officials attended.
Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage director of Strategic Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Mr Mike Masaka said the families of the four national heroes were present during the private ceremonies.
“Then we successfully had the reburial of four national heroes, and these are Brigadier-General Kachana, Professor Mupepereki, Comrade Herbert Sambo and Comrade Saul Gwakuba Ndlovu, and all the family members were in attendance,” he said.
“As I indicated yesterday, the programme was closed to family members, although Government officials were also in attendance.”
Meanwhile, the remains of national hero Professor Herbert Chinyanga have arrived from South Africa ahead of his interment at Toshah Cemetery in Ruwa on Saturday.
Prof Chinyanga had previously been buried in South Africa before his remains were brought back to Zimbabwe for reburial.
His family members also arrived in the country yesterday ahead of the interment.
Mr Masaka said the national hero’s remains would lie in state at his family home in Greendale today, with a family programme scheduled to take place at Number 9 Drummond.
“Tomorrow, the 31st of July, it will be a family programme at Number 9 Drummond in Greendale. The remains of the late national hero will lie in state at the family homestead in Greendale,” he said.
He said the procession to the burial site would leave the family home on Saturday morning.
“Then on the first of August, the procession will start from the family homestead and he will be interred at Etosha Cemetery in Ruwa,” Mr Masaka said.
The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland East, Advocate Dinha, will preside over the burial on behalf of President Mnangagwa.
“As you might be aware, since the burial is happening in Mashonaland East, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Advocate Dinha, will preside over the burial process on behalf of His Excellency the President, Comrade Dr ED Mnangagwa,” Mr Masaka said.
He called on people from Mashonaland East and Harare to attend the burial and honour Prof Chinyanga’s contribution to the country.
“As usual, we are urging the people of Mashonaland East and also members of the public from Harare to attend the burial programme in their numbers since our national hero served this country with diligence and patriotism,” he said.
The reburials come as Government steps up preparations for the 46th Heroes Day commemorations, which will be held on Monday, August 10.
Mr Masaka said the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage was now finalising preparations for the national commemorations.
“We give honour to our national heroes, as you are aware that we are already preparing for the 46th Heroes Day commemorations, which will be held on Monday, the 10th of August, 2026,” he said.
“As a ministry, we are now tying the loose ends ahead of the commemorations and we are urging members of the public to also come in their numbers and join His Excellency the President in commemorating Heroes Day.”
The Heroes Day commemorations will also be held at provincial and capital city level across the country.
Mr Masaka urged citizens to participate in the commemorations from wherever they are.
“You will also take note that the Heroes Day commemorations will be taking place also in all our provinces and in our capitals, so we also urge our citizens to attend from wherever they are,” he said.
