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LIBERATION stalwart Cde Highten Nkomo, who died a fortnight ago and was on Wednesday declared a National Hero, will be buried at the National Heroes Acre on Monday.

A church service was held yesterday at his rural home in Bengo, Gwanda South.

“A man of very few words but with political maturity, is how many who gathered at Cde Highten Khuluma Nkomo’s rural home in Bengo, Gwanda South, to give a befitting send-off described the illustrious son of the soil,” said family spokesperson Thabiso Samhembere.

“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,” said Cde Witness Ncube, a Zanu-PF representative. Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Honourable Abednico Ncube reminded the community of the need to jealously guard the fruits of independence.

The late Highten Nkomo

“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 the 12th of January 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 ZPRA.

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

His body has since been airlifted to Harare 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. -ZBC News Online