Stage set for double burial at National Shrine

The stage is set for a double burial at the National Heroes Acre this Wednesday, with the bodies of Brigadier-General (Retired) Victor Rungani and Walter Basopo now lying in state at Charles Gumbo Barracks in Harare, having been brought from their respective rural homes to allow members of their communities to bid them farewell.

Director Internal Audit in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Dadirai Tadios confirmed government’s readiness for the double burial.

“We are ready for the twin burial of our National Heroes at the National Heroes Acre today.

“We have put all in place and we are encouraging the nation to come in large numbers to give a befitting send off to our heroes. The gates will be opened by 0600 hours and we expect people to be seated by 0700 hours,” he said.

Brigadier-General (Retired) Rungani joined the liberation struggle as a ZANLA cadre in 1975 and crossed the border into Mozambique, where he briefly stayed at Machaze, Chibawawa and Nyadzonia base camps.

He then received his military training at Mapinduzi camp in Chimoio and was deployed to the department of transport responsible for Manica province before being appointed Director of Transport for Gaza province.

In 1978, he was transferred to Gaza province as commander of Sabotage operations.

He was also deployed in the advance detachment of Filabusi, Gwatemba and Fort Rixon in 1979.

Basopo, who was born in Gutu in 1959, joined the liberation struggle in 1976 under ZANLA and received military training in Mozambique.

After independence, he served as an intelligence officer and rose through the ranks to become a Director in the Central Intelligence Organisation.

ZBC