Story by Peter Chivhima
THE Mabuya family has expressed gratitude to the government of Zimbabwe for according Colonel Retired Kenny Ridzai Mabuya a national hero status.
Colonel Retired Mabuya died on the 22nd of this month and was declared a national hero this Friday.
The Mabuya family says they will forever remain grateful to the government for honouring their father, uncle and family unifier.
“We are very grateful to the government for according our grandfather a national hero status, this means that a lot of people will remember him as a man who fought tirelessly for this nation. Our grandfather was a great man who taught us a lot,” said a family member.
“We want to thank the government for giving Sekuru Mabuya a National Hero status,” added a family member.
Colonel Retired Mabuya, whose Chimurenga name was ‘Kenny Ridzai, was born in 1952 in Filabusi, Matabeleland South Province, where he began school.
Cde Ridzai went to Lusaka for training before departing for Itumbi Training Camp in Tanzania in December 1969 and returned to Zimbabwe in 1972.
In 1977, he was sent to China for further military training and was appointed to lead the advance group to the Lancaster House Conference in 1979.
After independence in 1980, the late Colonel Retired Mabuya was attested into the Zimbabwe National Army in 1981.
During his illustrious career in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, the late Senior Officer held several challenging appointments, before his retirement in 1994 after receiving several accolades.
