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The “Man of the People” died on Saturday at the Avenues Clinic and will be buried today at the National Heroes Acre.

In an interview yesterday, Mr Tekere expressed gratitude to Zanu-PF’s Politburo for conferring Cde Masawi with national hero status.
Mr Tekere was speaking from his hospital bed at St Anne’s Hospital in Harare, where he is admitted with an unconfirmed illness.
He said: “Cde Masawi is a colleague with a long history in this game of politics.

“We went to Mozambique with other comrades like Cde Mugabe, relying on people like Cde Masawi to ensure recruitment of freedom fighters. He also wanted to come to Mozambique to join other freedom fighters but we made a decision that there should be no more crossing to Mozambique,” he said.
Mr Tekere said Cde Masawi was also instrumental in mobilising support ahead of the 1980 elections. He said Zanu-PF easily romped to victory in those polls because of the groundwork laid by people like Cde Masawi.

Mr Tekere took the opportunity to console President Mugabe and the First Family following the death of Cde Sabina Mugabe in August.
Cde Sabina was a sister to the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and was declared a national heroine for her contributions to the nation’s independence and development after 1980.

“Cde Sabina Mugabe was also a close colleague in the struggle. Because I was not feeling well I failed to attend her funeral but I made telephone calls to other comrades telling them that she also deserved national heroine status,” he said.
Mr Tekere expressed gratitude to Zanu-PF Politburo members Cdes Webster Shamu and Saviour Kasukuwere, who visited him yesterday. The former Zanu-PF secretary-general says he cannot walk although he says the rest of his body feels fine.