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Wallace Ruzvidzo, Harare Bureau

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa will today preside over the burial of liberation war stalwart and National Hero, Colonel (Retired) Kenny Ridzai Mabuya, who died last week after a short illness.

In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage said President Mnangagwa would preside over the ceremony.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage wishes to advise the nation that the late National Hero, Colonel (Rtd) Kenny Constantine Mabuya (Kenny Ridzai) will be laid to rest at the National Heroes Acre, tomorrow, Thursday February 1, 2024. 

“His Excellency, the President, Cde Dr ED Mnangagwa will preside over the ceremony. Also in attendance will be the Vice-President Dr CGDN Chiwenga and Vice-President Colonel (Rtd) KCD Mohadi, Chairperson of the ruling Zanu PF party and Minister of Defence, Cde OCZ Muchinguri-Kashiri, Cabinet ministers, members of the diplomatic community and senior Government officials.

“Gates at the national shrine will be opened at 0600hrs and all mourners should be seated by 0700hrs,” said the ministry.

Thousands of Zimbabweans are expected to converge at the National Heroes Acre in Harare to pay their last respects to the late national hero.

Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe told The Herald that everything was set to accord Col Mabuya a befitting send off.

He said it was important that people like Col Mabuya be given due recognition for their immense contribution as they had made sacrifices to liberate the country that many would not make today.

Minister Kazembe said the sacrifice made by Col Mabuya was invaluable as Zimbabweans would continue to enjoy their freedom from the shackles of colonialism for generations to come.

Born on January 12, 1952 in Matabeleland South Province’s Insiza district, Col Mabuya was the second born in a family of five.

Sometime in 1954, the family relocated to Zambia where he did his primary and secondary education up to Form Two at Kamwala in Lusaka.

Col Mabuya and his brother became politically conscious but while the brother joined the Zapu military wing, Zipra, he wanted his younger brother to complete his schooling.

Col Mabuya decided to join the Zanu military wing, Zanla, as a way of avoiding his brother in Zipra since he knew that the brother would send him back to school.

He later joined the liberation struggle while still in Form Two.

Col Mabuya left Lusaka for Itumbi Training Camp in Tanzania through Mbeya, together with other recruits.

They commenced training in December 1969, with initial military training coming in January 1970 under the tutorship of Cde Chimedza and some Chinese military instructors.

Col Mabuya belonged to that crop of military strategists whose training centred mostly on mass mobilisation tactics, which were critical for the commencement of full scale guerilla warfare and their training took two years.