Online Reporter
Gibson Mhaka, [email protected]
THE family of veteran historian, journalist and nationalist Cde Saul Gwakuba Ndlovu has expressed profound gratitude to President Mnangagwa and the Second Republic for honouring the liberation stalwart with National Hero status, describing the recognition as a fulfilment of a long-awaited acknowledgement of his immense contribution to Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle, journalism and nation-building.
The emotional tributes were delivered yesterday as Cde Gwakuba Ndlovu’s remains were exhumed from Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo ahead of their reburial at the National Heroes’ Acre in Harare on Thursday, where he will be accorded full National Hero honours.
President Mnangagwa recently conferred National Hero status on Cde Gwakuba Ndlovu posthumously ahead of the 2026 Heroes Day commemorations, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the liberation struggle, historiography, journalism and the consolidation of an independent Zimbabwe.
The solemn exhumation ceremony was attended by family members led by his widow, Mrs Caroline Gwakuba Ndlovu and daughter Ms Chipo Gwakuba Ndlovu.
Also present were Zanu-PF Politburo member and Bulawayo Senator Cde Molly Mpofu, officials from the Ministry of
Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage and other Government representatives.
Speaking after the exhumation, Mrs Gwakuba Ndlovu said the family was overwhelmed by the gesture shown by
President Mnangagwa and the Government in recognising her husband’s contribution to the liberation of the country.
“We are deeply grateful to the nation and to our President, Cde Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, for the steps that have been taken to honour my husband,” she said.
“On behalf of the family and the people of Matabeleland, we sincerely thank the Government for recognising our comrade and taking him to the National Heroes’ Acre.”
Mrs Gwakuba Ndlovu said although the family had hoped for such recognition when Cde Gwakuba Ndlovu died in 2021, circumstances brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic made it impossible.
“I understood that he was supposed to be buried at the National Heroes’ Acre when he passed away, but because of the Covid-19 pandemic that could not happen.
“As time went on, I thought perhaps they had forgotten him,” she said.
“To my surprise, they came back and recognised him as their colleague who deserved to be laid to rest at the National Heroes’ Acre.
“We are extremely thankful. On behalf of the family and the people of Dombodema in Bulilima, we express our heartfelt appreciation for what the Government has done.”
His daughter described the conferment of National Hero status as a source of pride not only for the family but also for Bulawayo and Matabeleland.
“We are very grateful and thankful to our President, Cde Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, and the Government for this honour bestowed upon our father. As the children of war veterans and heroes, we do not take this recognition lightly,” said Chipo.
She said Cde Gwakuba Ndlovu played a pivotal role in the liberation struggle as one of the pioneers of Zapu alongside the late Vice President Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo.
“Our father was a renowned international journalist and one of the pioneers who helped establish Zapu together with
Father Zimbabwe, the late Dr Joshua Nkomo.
“Today, we are taking his remains to the National Heroes’ Acre, and we look forward to the ceremony with pride,” she said.
Chipo further commended the Government for facilitating the reburial process, saying buses, food and logistical support had enabled people from Dombodema and surrounding areas to attend the ceremony.
“We have seen overwhelming support from the Government. People have travelled from Dombodema in large numbers. Government officials, the police, health officials, the Bulawayo City Council and Senator Molly Mpofu have all stood with us throughout this process. We truly appreciate everything that has happened today,” she said.
“Our prayer is that the Government, under President Mnangagwa’s leadership, continues to recognise other liberation heroes whose contributions deserve similar honour.”
In her remarks, Cde Mpofu said the conferment of National Hero status demonstrated President Mnangagwa’s commitment to ensuring deserving cadres receive recognition regardless of the passage of time.
“We thank His Excellency President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa for conferring National Hero status on Cde Gwakuba posthumously.
“Perhaps when he passed on, not everyone fully appreciated the immense role he played during the liberation struggle, but the President has ensured that justice has been done by honouring him,” she said.
Cde Mpofu said Cde Gwakuba Ndlovu was among several liberation stalwarts from different provinces whose remains would be reinterred at the National Heroes Acre.
“He is not the only one. Other liberation heroes from different provinces will also be reburied at the national shrine.
“As a Politburo member representing Bulawayo Province, I can confidently say the province is delighted and grateful to President Mnangagwa for this honour bestowed upon Cde Gwakuba,” she said.
“The family has also appealed for the preservation of his grave at Lady Stanley Cemetery. They will engage the Bulawayo City Council and the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works because they wish the site to remain under the family’s care,” she said.
Besides Cde Gwakuba Ndlovu, other liberation stalwarts whose remains will also be reinterred at the National Heroes’ Acre are Brigadier-General Gibbs Kachana, whose remains are being exhumed from Mutikani Village in Shindi District; Cde Hebert Zaba Sambo, buried in the Moshowani area of Madziva District; and Prof Sheunesu
Mpepereki, whose remains are being exhumed from Warren Hills Cemetery in Harare. Other conferred liberation war stalwarts are Cde Petros Khumalo, Cde Shumirai Wekwete, and Cde Joseph Zethi Dube.
Cde Gwakuba Ndlovu died on July 16, 2021, at the United Bulawayo Hospitals after succumbing to a heart ailment.
He was born on September 23, 1934, at Dombodema Mission in Bulilima District, Matabeleland South province.
In 2014, Cde Gwakuba Ndlovu was among 21 pioneers of the liberation struggle who received the Liberation and
Independence Medals, together with six serving ZDF members and three who were retired.
During the liberation struggle, Cde Gwakuba Ndlovu was the director of publicity and information of the Zimbabwe
African People’s union (Zapu), between 1964 and 1978.
He once served as the diplomatic representative for Zapu based in Algeria, responsible for Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania, Niger and Mali.
He also covered countries such as Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the Federal Republic of Germany.
On behalf of Zapu, he participated in a number of the then Organisation of African Unit summits, Afro-Asian People’s Solidarity Organisation meetings, United Nations, anti-colonialism committee conferences, Heads of State and several international journalism conferences at places such as Prague, Pyongyang, Moscow, Berlin, Cairo, Kinshasa, Rome and New Delhi.
From mid-June to mid-July 1979, Cde Gwakuba Ndlovu and Dr Barnabas Dzingai Mutumbuka undertook a lecture tour in Canada on behalf of the Patriotic Front (PF) to apprise Canadians on the socio-political situation in the then
Zimbabwe-Rhodesia and why the PF was strongly opposed to the treacherous Muzorewa-Smith regime.
In 1972, Cde Gwakuba Ndlovu was sent to the Soviet union by Zapu and among his group were now Brigadier-General (Retired) Abel Mazinyane, Colonel (Retired) Thomas “Menu” Ngwenya, late Cde Jack Amos Ngwenya, Cde Phebione Makonese, Cde Easter Ndiweni and Cde Josiah Ncube.
After independence, Cde Ndlovu joined the Chronicle as a senior editorial staff member. He was later appointed Features and Supplements Editor for both Chronicle and Sunday News.
The late journalist left Chronicle and The Sunday News in 1984 to join the Munn Publishing Company, where he was the contributing editor and regional manager responsible for Matabeleland, the Midlands, Masvingo, Botswana and Zambia.
He left Munn Publishing Company in September 1987 after he was offered a post by Lonrho Zimbabwe as a public relations executive with responsibility over the same region as that he covered with Munn Publishing.
Lonrho Zimbabwe later sent him to Swaziland in January 1988, where his responsibility as a consultant at that country’s official newspaper, The Swazi Observer, was to revive that publication by training the workers.
