Story by Tamuka Charakupa
FORMER Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) staffer and liberation hero, Stanley Goredema, has been buried at his Msengezi homestead in Zvimba.
Relatives, colleagues, and friends gathered to honour a man described as a committed public servant, seasoned broadcaster, and patriot whose legacy will remain etched in the annals of Zimbabwe’s liberation and nation-building history.
Mr Goredema, who passed away on July 1 after a long illness, was declared a liberation hero by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in recognition of his contribution to the country’s freedom and development.
His son, Mr Christmas Goredema, expressed gratitude for the national honour bestowed on his father.
“We want to thank the President for conferring our father with a liberation hero status. It gives us comfort as a family to know that our father played a pivotal role in the country’s history. He was a caring father who was also dedicated to his work.”
Chegutu East Legislator, ZANU PF Deputy Political Commissar, Cde Webster Shamu, urged young people to emulate the legacy of the late hero by committing themselves to the nation’s economic development.
“I want to challenge young people to take it upon themselves to fight for the economic emancipation of the country. People like Cde Goredema and other departed heroes fought for the independence of this nation, and the onus is on this young generation to be disciplined and take the nation forward. We worked with Cde Goredema at ZBC with the aim being to push our own African (Zimbabwean) agenda.”
Representatives from the private sector also paid tribute to Mr Goredema, acknowledging his long-standing collaboration with national institutions.
“As Doves, we worked hand and glove with the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, especially during national holidays related to heroes. He was very instrumental, playing a coordinating role, and our presence here testifies to the role he played,” Doves Managing Director, Mr Nyasha Matsika said.
Chegutu District Development Coordinator, Mr Mark Kadaira, who represented the Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Marian Chombo said Mr Goredema was a dedicated civil servant.
“He also served as the focal liaison officer in the National Heroes Burial Process, coordinating between NMMZ, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, and the families of declared national heroes. From the moment of declaration to the actual interment, he provided support and guidance to bereaved families, ensuring all ceremonial and cultural protocols were observed with dignity.
“During the annual Heroes Day commemorations, he was the key public relations contact for families of national heroes, ensuring they remained informed, supported, and engaged in the proceedings.”
The late liberation hero is remembered for his pioneering role at ZBC’s Radio 3 station, now Power FM, where he was a presenter and producer from 1979 to 1983.
From 1984 to 2018, Goredema served as the Principal Public Relations Officer at the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, where he was involved in the burial of national heroes and the exhumation of freedom fighters who were buried on the battlefield.
He is survived by his wife, Josiline Mubaiwa, five children and eight grandchildren.
