Story by Peter Chivhima
The body of national hero, Cde Justin Mupamhanga is now at Charles Gumbo Barracks, Harare where it will lie in state before burial at the National Heroes Acre on Monday.
His body was welcomed from his rural home in Chesa, Mt Darwin in Mashonaland Central Province by relatives, colleagues and government officials.
A church service will be held this Sunday.
“The body of our national hero will be taken from here at Charles Gumbo Barracks tomorrow at 0730 hours to Intercity Chapel for a church service before it is taken to Mabelreign for a main church service ahead of burial on Monday at the national shrine,” Director in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Mr Birthwell Mutandiro noted.
Cde Mupamhanga played a significant role in Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle after cutting short his studies at the then University of Rhodesia to join fellow war fighters in Mozambique in 1975.
His contributions to the liberation struggle paved the way for his distinguished civil service career, which began in 1983 in the Economics Division of the President’s Department.
Throughout his career, Cde Mupamhanga rose through the ranks, establishing and heading the Economics Branch in the President’s Department, serving as Minister Counsellor at Zimbabwe’s Diplomatic Mission in London, and later becoming Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet.
He is survived by wife, Idah Mupamhanga, four sons and several grandchildren.
