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The “Man of the People” will be buried at the National Heroes’ Acre tomorrow.
Announcing the honour conferred on the politician to family members and mourners at Pasango Farm in Bindura yesterday, President Mugabe said Zanu-PF’s Politburo was unanimous in its deliberations when it met earlier during the day.

The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces was accompanied by Vice President Joice Mujuru and several Government ministers.
He first privately conveyed the message to family members, who accepted the honour, be-fore he addressed mourners.
President Mugabe said the Politburo heard testimony from several speakers on Cde Masa-wi’s work for the nation before and after Inde-pendence.

Such sterling work, the President said, deserved the highest national honour.
“Anga ari munhu wevanhu. Hapana kana apikisa ipapo kuti anofanira kupiwa rureme-kedzo rwepamusoro.
“Anokodzera kuradzikwa pachikomo apo tose patavakuziva,” he said.
President Mugabe said national hero status did not come on a silver platter as some people thought, but there was careful assessment of one’s contribution to national sovereignty and development.
He said one ought to have a straightforward and consistent background.

“Anga asingagede-gede, achiramba akatwasanuka, akaita kunga zongororo kwete kuita kungachura,” he said.
He said with heroes like Cde Masawi sacrificing their lives for Zimbabwe’s total liberation, it was critical that the nation guards agai-nst new forms of colonisation. Detractors, said President Mugabe, had resorted to new weaponry such as illegal sanctions in their bid to recolonise Zimbabwe. “When we want to sell our diamonds, they will say a lot of things to stop us.

“Ngatirambe takasadharara, tikapusa nyika inotorwa zvekare,” he said. He slammed new black farmers who leased farms to whites in return for money, saying such people will lose the land.
“Hatidi zvekuti ‘iwe bhunu ndirimirewo apa ndozokupa mubairo’,” he said.
Turning to the indigenisation programme, the President said it was high time blacks took charge of the mainstream economy.

He said too many educated and competent people were content with occupying senior employee posts instead of striving to own a company. “Be an employer yourself. Zvino vamwe, chekusevenzera varungu chakavabaya chika-tyokera. “Totoda kuita zvokuvadzidzisa kuti muZi-mbabwe ndiwe mukuru,” he said. Cde Masawi, a former Governor of Masho-naland Central Province, died at a private hospital in Harare on Saturday.

His body will be taken to Pasango Farm today where it will lie in state before being interred at the national shrine. On arrival at the farm yesterday, the Zanu-PF provincial executive led by its chairperson, Cde Dickson Mafios, welcomed President Mugabe. Speaking after conferring the hero status, Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo said: “The decision was unanimous . . . there was no single voice of dissent.”

Cde Gumbo said the Politburo described Cde Masawi as “a consistent, persistent, committed, principled, disciplined and loyal cadre”. “He was one person who did not deviate from the party during his political walk,” he said.  Cde Gumbo said the “Man of the People” played a crucial role in mobilising Zimbabweans against Ian Smith’s racist regime. The deputy secretary for youths in the Politburo and Zanu-PF legislator for Mt Darwin South, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, applauded the Politburo’s decision.

“He was a committed Zimbabwean and was involved in national development before and after Independence. “He played a crucial role in Mashonaland Central. He worked tirelessly for the people,” he said.
Cde Masawi was one of the internal leaders of the youth movement during the liberation war. As Mashonaland Central Governor, Cde Kasukuwere said Cde Masawi played a pivotal role during the land reform programme. The Zanu-PF Women’s League described Cde Masawi as a champion of women’s empowerment.

Secretary for women’s affairs Cde Oppah Muchinguri said the late cadre worked hard to uplift women’s status in the political and social spheres. “We are saddened by Cde Masawi’s death . . . He was committed to the party. He joined the party at a tender age and has died within the party. “He is a hero and very humble.” Cde Muchinguri said Cde Masawi continued working hard when he was appointed deputy political commissar even though he was a diabetes patient.
She challenged youths to emulate the role played by the late national hero.

Born in 1949 in Musana, Cde Masawi spent most of his adult life working for the party and Government in various capacities. During the liberation war, Cde Masawi played an instrumental role in mobilising fighters in Harare alongside the likes of Cde Ken Madora.  After Independence, he participated in re-organisation of Zanu-PF’s Youth League along with Cde Webster Shamu and the late Cde Ernest Rusununguko Kadungure. Cde Masawi was instrumental in launching the 21st February Movement and first held public office at local authority level when he was elected Mbare Ward 30 councillor in 1986.

In 1989, Cde Masawi — with the backing of Zanu-PF Women’s League — stood as the party’s candidate in a parliamentary by-election for Dzivaresekwa constituency following Cde Maurice Nyagumbo’s death and won. In 1990, he was elected MP for Mbare West and was later appointed Zanu-PF Youth League secretary for administration. Cde Masawi was re-elected Mbare West MP in 1995 before he was sworn in as Mashonaland Central Governor and Resident Minister.

He held the post until 2008. During that period, Cde Masawi served as Zanu-PF deputy national spokesperson, working with Cde Nathan Shamuyarira.
He was subsequently appointed deputy political commissar and held that post until his death.