Hero Musariri laid to rest

glowing tribute to the businessman, recounting his illustrious career in both business and farming.
Zanu-PF national chairman Cde Simon Khaya Moyo said Cde Musariri was a great man who served his country diligently.
“We have come here to bid farewell to a great man. He was a man of courage, a man of character and a man of vision,” he said.
“I am here to convey a message that great people like Cde Musariri can’t die, but can only depart for a higher respon­sibility.
“He has left us a legacy of hard work and unity. We used to be very close and he would come to my office.”
In an interview at the burial, State Security Minister Sydney Sekeramayi described the late liberation war hero as dedicated to the cause of the liberation struggle.
“He contributed as much as he could materially during the struggle,” he said.
“In Harare we had people like Musariri, (Ben) Mucheche and (Phile­mon) Machipisa who were strong sup­porters of the struggle. Today, we talk of empowerment and indigenisation and these were the pio­neers of black empowerment.”
Cde Mucheche said Cde Musariri’s death had personally affected him.
“As a personal friend, I have lost someone I had grown to appreciate over the years,” he said. “As black business­people during the liberation struggle, we used to support liberation fighters and we were arrested and detained for supporting the cause for independence.
“Together with Musariri, Dominic Makomva, Silas Mwayera and Solomon Tavengwa and other black businesspeo­ple, we used to support the fighters with all their needs.”
Harare acting provincial Governor Cde Alfred Tome said Cde Musariri was an honest man.
Cde Musariri’s first born son, Tobias Jnr hailed Government for recognising Cde Musariri’s contribution during the struggle by declaring him a liberation hero.
“We are very humbled and honoured as a family that Government has realised his contribution during the lib­eration struggle and they have decided to give him this recognition,” he said.
“This is a befitting farewell to a man of such great humility.”
Among the mourners were Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chi­namasa, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made and Zimbabwe Prison Service commissioner Retired Major General Paradzai Zimondi.
Zanu-PF Politburo member Cde Kumbirai Kangai and Kingdom founder and non-executive director Mr Nigel Chanakira were also present.
Cde Musariri is survived by two wives, Balbina and Gladys and 16 chil­dren (five boys and 11 girls).