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Herald reporter
A church service for national hero, Brigadier General Epmarcus Walter Kanhanga (Retired), will be held today at Rhodesville Catholic Church in Harare ahead of his burial tomorrow.
Brig-Gen Kanhanga (73) died in his sleep on Thursday last week at his rural home in Guruve, Mashonaland Central Province
The service will start at 1400hrs at number 55 Rhodesville Avenue.
In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage said Brig-Gen Kanhanga will be buried at the National Heroes Acre tomorrow.
The burial session shall be presided over by President Mnangagwa.
“A church service for the late National Hero, shall be held on the 9th of February at the Rhodesville Catholic Church in Zimbabwe at number 55 Rhodesville avenue, commencing at 1400hrs,” said the Ministry.
“Thereafter, the body of the hero shall lie in state at the family home at number 33 Hyton Road, Mandara,in Harare.
“The burial session shall be presided over by President Mnangagwa and in attendance shall be other senior dignitaries including the Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Chiwenga and the Vice President and Second Secretary of the ruling party Cde Mohadi.”
Brig-Gen Kanhanga’s body was on Tuesday flown to his Mvurwi farm where family and friends paid their last respects and was returned to Harare yesterday.
Tributes have been pouring in for the national hero who has been described as a humble and measured man with a fine political mind who has left a legacy of love, peace and unity which should be cherished by all.
In conferring the Brig-Gen Kanhanga with the national hero status, President Mnangagwa said the departed military man was a stalwart of the armed liberation struggle and belonged to an early crop of freedom fighters who left the country to fight for independence.
Born on January 6, 1950 , Brig-Gen Kanhanga went to school in Guruve before skipping the border for military training in the early 1970s.
After independence, Brig-Gen Kanhanga was attested into the Zimbabwe National Army, rising through the ranks until he attained the rank of Brigadier-General
He saw action in various military missions in the region, including helping the country secure strategic routes to the sea.
On retirement from active service, he took up active politics. He represented the ruling party, Zanu PF, in Parliament and was also a member of the party’s Politburo.AC
Online Reporter