Sidumisile Mabena
Raymond Jaravaza, Zimpapers Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has declared the late Brigadier General Samuel Mpabanga a National Hero.
Brig General Mpabanga passed away on 9 February at the Gwanda General Hospital after a long illness.
He was 69 and is survived by his wife and four children.
Born on 31 August 1956 in Gwanda, he attended Mapate Primary School and Beitbridge Primary School from 1963 to 1970 before proceeding to Manama Mission (1971 to 1972) and Matobo Secondary School from 1973 to 1974.
He crossed the border to join the liberation struggle as a ZIPRA cadre in 1977 and briefly stayed at Mapate before crossing Shashe River with his colleagues headed to Selibe Pikwe in Botswana.
The late Brig General stayed at Selibe Pikwe Prison for three months with his uncle the late Raphel Mpabanga, Martin Kukubele and the late Sibusiso Mpabanga,”
He started military training late 1977 at Mulungushi under the Zambian army with attachments from ZIPRA who included the late Cephas Khupe and late Gedi Dube.
From 1978 to 1979 he went for further military training in Russia, formerly the Soviet Union in Odessa.
He joined the Zimbabwe National Army on 12 July 1980 and retired from active service on 31 August 2022.
Online Reporter