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Herald Reporter

A Funeral parade  for national hero Major-General (Retired) Sydney Bhebe will be held today at the Charles Gumbo Barracks in Harare ahead of burial at the National Heroes  Acre on Monday.

Maj-Gen Bhebe (Rtd) was declared  national hero by President Mnangagwa. The President made the announcement on Wednesday when he visited the Bhebe family home in Cranborne West, Harare.

Relatives and colleagues of Maj Gen (Rtd) Bhebe converged at Cranborne West Marriage Quarters in Harare yesterday to pay homage to the national hero.

Relatives who spoke to this news crew said the death of Maj-Gen (Rtd) Bhebe has left a huge void which will be hard to fill.

Mrs Ruth Bhebe, his sister, said, “My brother was someone who was willing to help everyone and as a family, we have lost a pillar.”

His wife and children described him as a loving and caring man.

“I have lost a friend who used to love me a lot. Sydney was my best and he was a very peaceful man who loved his children,” said his wife.

His son, Sydney, described him as a caring man “who was so passionate to see us his children have a better life,” while daughter Joan said, “We have lost a great man. Despite his position in the military he was just a simple man. Whenever he was around we could feel we have a friend. We say dad rest in peace.”

After the funeral parade today, Maj-Gen (Rtd) Bhebe’s body will be taken to his home in Bulawayo and flown back to Harare on Sunday ahead of burial set for Monday at the national Heroes Acre.

Major-General (Rtd) Bhebe joined the liberation struggle after crossing into Zambia via Botswana in 1977 and received military training at Boma camp in Angola during the same year.

He was selected to undergo further military training in semi-conventional and conventional warfare at Boma in 1978.

At independence, Maj Gen (Rtd) Bhebe was attested into the Zimbabwe National Army and rose through the ranks until he became Major General, a rank he held until he retired last year.

The President said there was now a standing rule that any soldier who attained the rank of Major-General onwards, would be declared national hero upon their death, but only if they were performing in line with expectations.

Maj-Gen (Rtd) Bhebe died on Monday at the Avenues Clinic in Harare and will be buried at the National Heroes Acre on a date to be advised by the Government in consultation with the family.

“We now have a rule that all who have reached the level of Major-General are national heroes. But if you start performing at variance with the expectations you will not be accorded a (national) hero status. So we will honour him (Major-General Bhebe) as such,” said President Mnangagwa.

“We have iconic figures at the National Heroes Acre like former Vice President (Joshua) Nkomo and former Vice President (Simon Vengayi) Muzenda, the likes of Cde (Herbert) Chitepo, among others, so if you again perform contrary to expectations, you cannot be buried where they are buried.”

President Mnangagwa said he heard of the illness of Maj-Gen (Rtd) Bhebe when he was at the burial of the late Maj-Gen (Retired) Sikhulile Simpson Nyathi on Monday, and was saddened that he died the same day.

Zimbabwe is also still mourning the death of Maj-Gen (Retired) Godfrey Chanakira, and Maj-Gen Bhebe’s death means the country has recorded three deaths of military stalwarts in just over a fortnight.

Family representative and brother to the late, Mr Irvine Bhebe, thanked President Mnangagwa’s administration for the support rendered to his brother during the days he was not feeling well.

The family welcomed the national hero status accorded to their son.