Former Manicaland Provincial Governor and Deputy Minister of Industry and International Trade, Kenneth Vhundukai Manyonda, has been declared a national hero.
The development was confirmed by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, in a statement released Friday.
He said details of the funeral will be announced later once consultations between the Government and his family are concluded. Read the statement:
His Excellency the President Dr E.D. Mnangagwa has declared the late one-time Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce and Governor of Manicaland Province under the First Republic, Cde Kenneth Manyonda, a National Hero.
The conferment of National Hero status on the late departed followed consultations of, and consensus by the (Zanu PF) Politburo.
Manyonda, who was aged 88, died in Harare on Wednesday after a long illness.
The ZANU PF leadership in Manicaland Province had earlier applied to the national leadership to confer national hero status on the former provincial governor.
ZANU PF Acting Secretary for Administration, who is also Secretary for Finance and Economic Development, Patrick Chinamasa confirmed that the party leadership received a request from Manicaland Province to accord Manyonda National Hero status.
In his condolence message on Thursday, President Mnangagwa described Manyonda as a veteran nationalist who cut his teeth in trade unionism during the colonial era.
The President said Manyonda was committed to supporting the liberation struggle until independence.