Online Reporter
Joseph Madzimure, Zimpapers Politics Hub
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has conferred national hero status on Zanu-PF Central Committee member Cde Edward Raradza in recognition of his contribution to the country’s agricultural sector and economic development.
Cde Raradza died on September 4.
He was 79.
He will be buried at the National Heroes Acre in Harare on Thursday, with President Mnangagwa expected to preside over the burial.
The decision to accord him national hero status was delivered to the Raradza family at their Harare home last night by Zanu-PF Secretary for Gender Cde Kenneth Musanhi, who was accompanied by
Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central provincial chairman Cde Kazembe Kazembe and Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Zhemu Soda.
“President Mnangagwa has conferred hero status on Cde Raradza, who died on September 4, 2026.
“Cde Raradza will be interred at the National Heroes Acre in Harare,” said Cde Musanhi.
Cde Kazembe, , who is also Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, called on Zimbabweans to come out in their numbers to pay their last respects to the national hero on Thursday.
“We kindly appeal to our members, especially those from Mashonaland Central, to come in their numbers, particularly those from Muzarabani, where Cde Raradza farmed and participated in politics.
“He was also a Member of Parliament from 2008 to 2013.
“We are going to dispatch buses across the provinces to ferry mourners to bid farewell to the late national hero,” said Cde Kazembe.
Burial logistics are already in place, he added.
Mr Justine Raradza, the national hero’s brother, commended President Mnangagwa and the Zanu-PF leadership for conferring national hero status on his brother.
“We are so excited to realise that one of our own has been bestowed with the highest honour. This is commendable,” he said.
Cde Raradza was a prominent politician, businessman and tobacco farmer who served as vice-chairperson of the Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU).
He was heavily involved in the country’s agricultural sector and legislative processes, representing Zanu-PF as Member of Parliament for Muzarabani South after running unopposed in the 2008 elections.
Cde Raradza was also a strong supporter of the Look East Policy as Zimbabwe sought to counter the effects of sanctions imposed by Western countries, particularly from 2002.
He was credited with helping facilitate the first non-official funds from China, parallel to policy loans accessed through Government channels.
Zanu-PF Secretary for Information and Publicity Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa said Cde Raradza played an important role in sustaining agricultural production during a difficult period.
“The entry of competing capital from rapidly rising China helped break the back of the 2002 economic strangulation contrived in the Maputo Ultimatum against the 2000 historic Land Reform
of Zimbabwe.
“These endeavours served to save the Land Reform from menacing collapse as they restored national production under the aegis of empowered black majority rule farmers,” said Ambassador
Mutsvangwa.
He added that Cde Raradza helped create conditions for sustained national economic recovery and future prosperity as promised by the National Liberation Movement and its Chimurenga II — the Armed Struggle.
Cde Raradza was also the first black Zimbabwean to establish and own a coal mining company after Zambezi Gas and Coal Mine was awarded a Special Grant in 2002.
He served as director of Zambezi Gas and Coal Mine.
In 2011, Cde Raradza co-founded and owned Millennium Tobacco Floors, a licensed tobacco auction company operating from Msasa, Harare.
Throughout his career with the ZFU and the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Cde Raradza was a vocal advocate for tobacco farmers.
He regularly lobbied Government and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe for fairer input pricing, timely access to fertiliser and better pricing structures at auction floors to protect local farmers from inflation.
Born in Murehwa on July 2, 1947, to Mateu and Derai, Cde Raradza attended St Benedict School, where he completed Standard Six.
He later attained a Journeyman Class 1 qualification in Card Litho Printing and worked for Variprint (Pvt) Limited, rising to the position of supervisor.
His involvement in politics began in 1965 when he joined ZANU Youth. He was later detained and restricted to reporting to St Mary’s Police Station in Chitungwiza.
Cde Raradza also served on the boards of several institutions, including the Grain Marketing Board and Dorowa Minerals (Pvt) Ltd. He was also chairman of Implementation and Coordination of Agricultural Research and Training in the SADC region.
A successful farmer and businessman, he received the National Farmer Award of Excellence in 2003–2004.
At the time of his death, he was executive chairman of Farmers World Holdings and managing director of Zambezi Gas Zimbabwe.
Cde Raradza also made a significant contribution to the African Apostolic Church.
In 2010, during a Holy Communion gathering at Nzvimbo in Chiweshe, Mashonaland Central
Province, he converted to the African Apostolic Church.
Mutumwa Paul Mwazha identified him as a potentially capable church leader, and he was made a Reverend the same year.
He subsequently supported the church and disadvantaged communities using his own resources, including drilling boreholes at church stations and remote schools.
In 2022, he was promoted to the position of Bishop, which he served with distinction.
His commitment to the church was reflected by members of his flock travelling from Mashonaland Central to visit him at his Mt Pleasant Heights home when his health was failing.
Cde Raradza is the father of Mashonaland Central provincial Youth chairman Cde Emmerson Raradza.
He is survived by wife, Julia, 11 children, 26 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Mourners are gathered at House No. 964, Mt Pleasant Heights, Harare.
