The late prominent businessman Ben Mucheche has been declared a national hero, reported <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/cde-ben-mucheche-declared-national-hero/">Chronicle</a>.
Mucheche died of heart failure at his farm in Beatrice on 14 June at the age of 96.
The conferment of national hero status was announced on Sunday night by ZANU PF national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, who is also Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister, at the Mucheche family home. She said:
<blockquote>
We have been sent by His Excellency, President Mnangagwa to convey his deepest condolences to the Mucheche family.
He wanted us to tell you that Cde Mucheche was not only your son but a son of the whole nation who was hard-working, trustworthy and full of love for everyone.
After considering his contribution to the struggle, the President saw it fit to declare him a National Hero.
</blockquote>
His son, Ben Mucheche Junior, thanked the Government for recognising their father’s hard work and contribution to the country.
Mucheche was the founder of the Indigenous Business Development Centre and owned the now-defunct Mucheche bus company.
A teacher by profession, Mucheche was the first person to establish a taxi rank at Machipisa Shopping Centre in Highfield, Harare, in 1956.
He provided transport to ferry nationalists to meetings and also helped to transport food, clothes and telephones for communication during the liberation struggle.
In 1963, he gave his vehicle for use by the leadership of ZAPU. The vehicle was seized by the Rhodesian government after the party was banned and sold at an auction.
Mucheche was at one time detained by the police for transporting recruited freedom fighters to Mozambique but he resisted arrest.
After independence, Mucheche offered his premises in Southerton to house all vehicles belonging to ZANU PF since the party had no garage to keep them.
He was the first black person to sit on the Reserve Bank board between 1975 and 1986.
Mucheche led the African Business Organisation, now the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC), from 1973 to 1986.
He was also the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Rural Transport Organisation between 1976 and 2002.
Mucheche is survived by four wives, 24 children, 27 grandchildren and 57 great-grandchildren.
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Ben Mucheche Declared National Hero

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has described the late businessman Ben Mucheche as a tried and tested nationalist and civic leader.
In a condolence message to the Mucheche family, Mnangagwa said Mucheche was a self-made indigenous businessman who rose to fame against a racially structured system. <a href="https://www.sundaymail.co.zw/president-mourns-businessman-mucheche">He said</a>:
<blockquote>
The late Cde Ben Mucheche is synonymous with an inspiring generation of self-made indigenous businessmen and women who rose to fame against all odds in colonial Rhodesia.
From very humble beginnings, the late Cde Mucheche beat all bottlenecks placed in the way of enterprising blacks, to break into the racially structured transport and farming business.
Beginning with a single vehicle, Cde Mucheche persevered until he built a large fleet of taxis before venturing into the large passenger transport business for which he became known right through to our Independence.
A civic leader and a tried and tested nationalist, the late Cde Mucheche used his position and his hard-earned resources to support the nationalist movement right from its early, formative days in the late 1950s.
As we mourn Cde Mucheche’s painful demise, we remember especially the salutary role he played in sowing seeds for black economic empowerment by co-founding the Indigenous Business Development Centre (IBDC) alongside leading businessmen and women like the late Paul Mukondo, John Mapondera, Strive Masiyiwa, late Roger Boka, Enock Kamushinda and Mrs Jane Mutasa.
</blockquote>
Mucheche was born on 31 March 1927 at Chishawasha Mission in Goromonzi. He later moved to Salisbury (now Harare) in search of employment and worked as a schoolteacher.
In 1956, he started Easy Way Taxis, a taxi business, with only £300 in savings. By 1962, he had a fleet of six taxis, which he sold to buy two buses.
In 1979, when the Liberation War ended, Mucheche was running a fleet of 75 buses.
In 1973, he was elected the president of the Rhodesian African Chamber of Commerce which represented the interests of black people.
In 1975, he was appointed the director of the Reserve Bank, a position he held up to 1988.
He was also elected as the leader of the Zimbabwe Rural Transport Organisation between 1976 and 2002.
Mucheche died on Wednesday after a long illness at his Beatrice Farm. He was 96.
He left behind six wives and 28 children.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Mnangagwa Mourns Businessman Ben Mucheche

The Mucheche family has announced the passing of Ben Mucheche, a renowned transport operator and black empowerment pioneer, who died at the age of 96 in Beatrice. Mucheche was a respected figure in Zimbabwe and inspired many people to venture into business. He was also known for his caring nature as a father and for teaching his children the value of hard work.
Mucheche had interests in transport and farming and was one of the pioneers of Zimbabwe’s black economic empowerment movement. He made history as one of the first black people to invest in areas dominated by white people during the colonial era. Despite facing numerous challenges, Mucheche found a way to make a name for himself and is credited for his bravery and innovation. His legacy lives on through the Indigenous Black Business Empowerment Corporation (IBDC), which he founded and served as its president. Mucheche leaves behind a large family of 28 children and several grandchildren. The family is still finalizing the burial arrangements to ensure a befitting send-off for the late entrepreneur.
According to a statement made by the family spokesperson, Noel Mucheche, who is Ben Mucheche’s eldest son, the renowned transport operator and black empowerment pioneer passed away on Wednesday in Beatrice at his family home. Noel described his father as a highly respected figure in Zimbabwe who served as an inspiration to many people to venture into business. He added:
<blockquote>
He was also a loving and caring father who used to take good care of us.
Our father taught us to work hard and we will miss him.
We are still finalising the paperwork and stuff to ensure we give him a befitting send-off.
We are going to keep you posted on the burial arrangements.”
</blockquote>
A profile of Ben Mucheche published in The Sunday Mail a decade ago reveals that he was born on March 31, 1927, in Chishawasha and attended Chishawasha Mission, completing Standard 6 in 1946. He later moved to Harare in search of employment and worked as a school teacher.
In 1956, he started Easy Way Taxis, a taxi business with only £300 in savings. By 1962, he had a fleet of six taxis, which he sold to buy two buses. In 1979, Mucheche was running a fleet of 75 buses, making him a highly respected figure in Zimbabwe’s transport industry.
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