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The Zanu-PF deputy political commissar will be laid to rest at the National Heroes’ Acre today.
He succumbed to blood cancer in Harare on Saturday.
Yesterday afternoon, Cde Masawi’s body was flown from 1 Commando Barracks to his rural home in Jonasi Village, Musana.

Family, friends, neighbours and other mourners thronged the Masawi homestead to pay their last respects to the “Man of the People”, after which his body was flown to Pasango Farm where it lay in state.
The body will be flown back to Harare early this morning before it is taken to the national shrine for burial.

Vice President Joice Mujuru and her husband Retired General Solomon Mujuru were among senior Government officials who went to console the Masawi family at Pasango Farm.
Also present were Ministers Webster Shamu (Media, Information and Publicity), Sydney Sekeramayi (State Security), Saviour Kasuku-were (Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment), Mashonaland Central Governor Martin Dinha and Politburo member Cde Sikha-nyiso Ndlovu, among others.
VP Mujuru described Cde Masawi’s death as a great loss to the province and the nation.

“That you are all here in large numbers to pay your last respects to Cde Masawi is clear testimony of the good work that he did . . .
“We should learn a lot from Cde Masawi’s life,” Cde Mujuru said.
She said his death left a void difficult to fill, but urged the province to remain strong and united.

In his address, Minister Sekeramayi said Cde Masawi was a humble cadre and challenged the nation to remain resolute in its defence of the gains of the liberation struggle.
Governor Dinha told The Herald that Cde Masawi as a true man of the people, a grassroots activist and a mentor.
“We were very close. We came from the same area in Musana. He was my mentor.
“He was a no-nonsense man and came into the province as governor when there was political indiscipline.
“He came and quelled that indiscipline with an iron fist,” Governor Dinha said.

He said Cde Masawi helped drive provincial programmes like the National Social Security Authority centre and more recently the Zaoga University
Zanu-PF Central Committee member Cde Ratidzai Marovahoko said Cde Masawi worked closely with the people that he led.
“He was very constructive. He was a father figure for all of us in the province,” he said.

Cde Marovahoko said Cde Masawi not only assisted farmers with things like inputs, but also paid school fees for many disadvantaged children.
Zanu-PF’s Politburo unanimously declared Cde Masawi a national hero on Tuesday, with President Mugabe saying the conferment of the status was testimony to the veteran politician’s contribution to national development.

Born in 1949 in Musana, Cde Masawi spent most of his adult life working for Zanu-PF 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.