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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

VICTORIA Falls farmer and former ranger, Cde Patrick Sangarwe who died last week Sunday has been declared a liberation war hero.

Cde Sangarwe (71) died in Victoria Falls after a long struggle with diabetes.

He was buried in his rural home in Rusape, Manicaland province.

Zanu-PF Hwange District Coordinating Committee Secretary for Administration Cde Nkosilathi Jiyane confirmed that the party had accorded Cde Sangarwe liberation war hero status.

“Patrick Sangarwe has been accorded liberation war status and will be laid to rest at his rural home in Rusape,” said Cde Jiyane to party members before Cde Sangarwe’s burial.

He was buried recently.

Cde Sangarwe was born on 15 August 1949 and crossed into Mozambique in 1974 to join the liberation struggle.

He trained in Chimoio and Nyadzonia Zanla camps and was deployed to Beitbridge and Shashe areas where he operated from using the war name Bruce Jongwe.

At independence Cde Sangarwe joined the Zimbabwe National Army and demobilised in 1985 when he joined Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority as a ranger.

He was stationed at Hwange Main Camp as a senior ranger when he retired in 2009.

Cde Sangarwe benefitted from the land reform in 2000 and resettled in the Woodlands Farm outside Victoria Falls where he was a successful farmer.

He is survived by wife, children and some grandchildren.

-@ncubeleon