Church service held for national hero Cde Highten Nkomo

Herald Reporter

A church service was held yesterday in honour of liberation stalwart and national hero Cde Highten Nkomo, at his rural home in Bengo in Gwanda South.

He will be buried at the National Heroes Acre on Monday.

Cde Nkomo died a fortnight ago at his homestead at the age of 70.

Many people who spoke described him as a man of few words, but with political maturity.

Family spokesperson Thabiso Samhembere thanked everyone who attended the service, saying Cde Nkomo had been given a befitting send-off as an illustrious son of the soil.

Zanu PF representative, Cde Witness Ncube, said: “We have lost a father figure, this is the man who left a legacy, especially for our youths that we need to be conscious of history.

“This man is a legend, he was a beacon and an inspiration to most of us who joined the struggle later.”

Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Matabeleland South, Abednico Ncube, urged the community to jealously guard the fruits of independence.

“As a province, we have lost a liberator, we need to be steadfast in guarding jealously the gains of our independence that Cdes like Mzamo fought for,” he said.

Born in Zambia on January 12, 1952 to Zimbabwean immigrants, Cde Nkomo did his primary education in Kapopo under Chief Mungule.

As the wave of nationalism swept across Southern Africa in the sixties, Cde Nkomo retraced his footsteps to his motherland and joined the Zimbabwean military wing ZIPRA.

He rose through the ranks to become the Deputy Chief of Training in the ZPRA High command.

His body was airlifted to Harare later yesterday and was taken to Charles Gumbo Barracks where it will lie in state awaiting burial at the National Heroes Acre on Monday.

Cde Nkomo is survived by his wife, Felicia Dube, three children and one grandchild.

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