Online Reporter
Remember Deketeke
Herald Correspondent
PRESIDENT MNANGAGWA will today preside over the burial of national hero Major-General (Retired) Evaristo Dzihwema at the National Heroes Acre in Harare.
Maj-Gen (Rtd) Dzihwema, whose nom de guerre was Cde Kid MaWrong Wrong, died on June 25 in India, where he was receiving medical treatment.
He was 63.
His body was repatriated to Zimbabwe on July 1.
Director Strategic Policy Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation in the Ministry of Home Affairs & Cultural Heritage, Mr Mike Masaka said Government has finalised preparations for the burial at the National Heroes’ Acre today.
He added that 64 buses have been deployed to ferry mourners from Harare and Manicaland.
“I can also confirm that His Excellency the President will preside over the burial proceedings tomorrow (today) at the National Heroes’ Acre,” he said.
“As Government, I can confirm that we are ready to give a dignified send-off to national hero, General (Retired) Evaristo Dzihwema. We have provided 64 buses to ferry mourners to the National Heroes’ Acre. We have 50 buses for Harare Province, 10 buses for Manicaland and four buses for family members.”
The body of the national hero, he added, lay in state in Zimre Park yesterday, allowing relatives, friends and members of the public to pay their final respects.
Major-General Dzihwema was declared a national hero in recognition of his distinguished service during the liberation struggle and after Independence.
He served in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces before holding several senior Government positions.
Maj-Gen Dzihwema joined the liberation struggle in 1978 after being assaulted by Rhodesian Security Forces, while travelling to obtain a juvenile registration certificate.
The incident strengthened the young Dzihwema’s resolve to take up arms and join thousands of other young Zimbabweans fighting for the country’s independence.
After undergoing military training in Mozambique, he was deployed to the operational front, where he served alongside several prominent liberation war commanders before Zimbabwe attained independence in 1980.
Following independence, he joined the Zimbabwe National Army and steadily rose through the ranks to become a major-general, serving in numerous command and staff appointments.
He occupied several strategic positions, including Company Brigade staff officer, director of procurement, director of finance and director-general responsible for personnel within the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF).
Following his retirement from active military service in December 2017, Maj-Gen) Dzihwema joined the Ministry of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment as principal director before later transferring to the Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs, where he served as chief director until his death.
The accolades he earned during his distinguished career included the Liberation Medal, Independence Medal, Ten-Year Service Medal, Long and Exemplary Service Medal, Mozambique Campaign Medal, Democratic Republic of Congo Medal and the Grand Commander of the Zimbabwe Order of Merit.
Maj-Gen Dzihwema is survived by his wife Alice and three sons.
