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Brigadier-General Crispan Masuku, who died at United Bulawayo Hospitals on Wednesday, will be buried this morning at Lady Stanely Cemetery in Bulawayo.
His body was yesterday taken to Headquarters 1 Infantry Brigade, Mzilikazi Barracks, for a military funeral parade.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Chief of Staff Quartermaster Staff Major-General Hlanganani Dube, Zimbabwe National Army Commander Lieutenant-General Edzai Chimonyo said the general officer joined the liberation struggle because of the oppressive regime that was characterised by discrimination and harassment of black people.
He braved Rhodesian Security Forces deployed to monitor the border post and crossed into Botswana, before heading for Zambia to join the liberation struggle.
“During his stay in Zambia, they also resisted various diseases and chemical warfare that was used by the enemy in his effort to annihilate the combatants that were fighting the regime,” said Lt-Gen Chimonyo.
“The late general officer was one of the survivors of that warfare.”
While in Zambia, Brig-Gen Masuku stayed at Mwembeshi Transit Camp and was then selected in a group of 300 cadres sent for training in Libya for two years until January 1979, specialising in armour.
Lt-Gen Chimonyo said while at Freedom Camp, Brig-Gen Masuku and other cadres were subjected to gruesome Rhodesian air bombardment in August 1979, in which many Zipra freedom fighters were killed.
After the bombardment, the group was moved to Mulungishi Camp where it was bombed again two days after arrival, and was moved back to Freedom Camp in October 1979, before proceeding to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic.
Lt-Gen Chimonyo said Brig-Gen Masuku was attested into the Zimbabwe National Army on 1 January, 1981 and was then appointed an Officer Commanding 18 Infantry Battalion on June 24, 1981. Brig-Gen Masuku, whose Chimurenga name was Kid Manzini, was born on July 16, 1958 in Lupane District, Matabeleland North.
He initially did his primary education at Mzola Five Primary School and went to Tshongokwe Primary School, both in Lupane.
He then did his secondary at Ihlathi in Bulawayo.
On March 8, 1982, he was appointed battery commander 1 Air Defence Regiment, and posted to 402 Infantry Battalion as Officer Commanding on August 30, 1982.
From 402 Infantry Battalion, he was posted to Battalion Battle School, now All Arms Battle School from October 2, 1984 to August 1, 1987 as a training officer. From 1987 to 1991, he served under Headquarters 2 Infantry Brigade as Quartermaster Staff Officer (Grade Two).
Thereafter, he was posted to Ordinance Directorate as Ordinance Staff Officer (Grade Two) (Manning and Training) where he served until 1994. In May 1994, he was appointed Ordinance Staff Officer (Grade Two) (Material) while still at Ordinance Directorate.
In 1995, Brig-Gen Masuku was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
In 2002, he was posted to Army Headquarters Quartermaster Staff Branch as a Staff Officer (Grade One) (Equipment Management). He was promoted to the rank of Colonel on November 29, 2001.
In 2003, while still at Army Headquarters, he was appointed Colonel Quartermaster Staff and was later posted to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Headquarters as Director Logistics where he served until 2005.
During the period from 2005 to 2013, he was assigned to South Africa as a Defence Attaché and promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in 2012.
On his return from South Africa in October 2013, Brig-Gen Masuku was appointed Brigadier-General Quartermaster Staff at Army Headquarters Quartermaster Staff Branch up to November 2015.
He was then seconded to the Zimbabwe Defence Industries as general manager, a post he held until his untimely death. He held a Bachelor of Administration with University of South Africa and a Masters in Business Administration with the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI).
Brig-Gen Masuku is survived by his wife Nomathemba Ndiweni and three children.
Online Reporter