Saturday 26 August 2017

MUZENDA, RUTANHIRE BURIAL LIVE

Updates by The Herald
1355: The spokesperson says the bickering and divisions rocking the revolutionary party are a sign of lack of ideological clarity and consciousness in Zanu PF adding that when his father was appointed the Director of Herbert Chitepo Ideological college, the family welcomed it as well deserved. He has thanked all who came to the national shrine to mourn with the family.
1347: He has described his father as a spiritual person who treasured culture and heritage.
“Cde George Rutanhire led the identification and reburial of fallen heroes who were callously buried by the colonialists. Dr Musanhu has appealed to President Mugabe to ensure that the programme continues,”
1343: Cde Rutanhire’s son says as family, they agree with the observation made by Zanu PF spokesperson, Cde Simon Khaya Moyo who said the hero never boasted about his contribution to the liberation struggle

1341: He says he considers himself lucky to have been born because his father is a survivor of the liberation struggle adding that he lived with a bullet till the time of his death.
1339: Dr Musanhu thanks President Mugabe and the country’s leadership for the honour and recognition bestowed to Cde Rutanhire. He narrates Cde Rutanhire’s history detailing the Commissariat work he did long before he joined the liberation struggle himself.
1337: Dr Chombo has invited Dr Zivanai Musanhu to give family remarks on behalf of the Rutanhire family.
1335: Quoting First Lady Amai Mugabe’s words of wisdom she shared with the family when she went to pay her condolences, Martin says they were comforted and inspired. Amai Mugabe told mourners that so many women in Zimbabwe work hard but are hardly recognised, citing Gogo Muzenda as one such woman.

As he concludes his speech, Vabvuwi Methodist church choir breaks into song.
1325: Mr Muzenda has also described Gogo Muzenda as a caring mother who loved baking adding that she would bake very delicious scones. As a nurse, Gogo Muzenda helped a lot of comrades who needed medical attention. She would take medication from Mvuma hospital even though she was well aware that if caught, she could be jailed.
1323: ”As a mother, she was hard working and from work, she would sit down on her Singer machine to sew clothes for us. We rarely wore anything bought from a shop,”
1321: The family representative says as a nurse, Gogo Muzenda had love for her patients and she often implored her family to pray for them.
1320: Muzenda family representative, Mr Chikwereti Martin Muzenda now giving family remarks. He gives family background telling mourners that Gogo Muzenda had eight children of which two of them are now late.

1313: ”By faith, we are a people whose prayers are answered by God,” says Rev Choto before blessing the event with a prayer.
1309: Rev Choto says faith gives substance to our hearts. Drawing from the statement, he says Gogo Muzenda and Cde Rutanhire embarked on journeys they were not sure where it will end. They had faith that they will achieve whatever they had set out for. The two liberators, Reve Choto says were driven by faith and managed to set Zimbabwe free together with others.
1304: The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Ignatius Chombo who is also the Director of Ceremony takes to the podium. He says mourners are gathered here to bid farewell to two great liberators. He invites the minister of Religion, Reverend Brian Choto to lead the mourners in prayer.
1303: In a poem, Reverend Paul Damasane pays tribute to Gogo Muzenda and Cde Rutanhire for dedicating their lives to liberating Zimbabwe. He says the two gallant children of the soil taught Zimbabweans to cherish independence. He says the two are counted and remembered by many adding that if death ever consulted him who it should whisk away, he was going to point at thieves and other criminals.

1300: Father Riberio leads a Catholic ritual as he blesses the caskets of the two.
1248: The second Gun Carriage has also arrived and  The Bearer Parties remove the caskets from the Gun Carriages to the position in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. A very sad and rare sight here. The two coffins arrived with the President and Lady Amai Grace Mugabe.

1242: The first gun carrier has arrived here and the Firing Party takes position.

1240: The service chiefs have taken their position as they prepare to welcome President Mugabe, the two bodies and families of the deceased.
1215: Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has arrived here at the sacred shrine and is making his way to the VVIP tent.

1153: Several Government officials are among the mourners gathered here and these include Ministers, Chief Justice Luke Malaba, Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda and service chiefs led by the Commander of the Defence Forces Dr Constantino Chiwenga.
1130: The body viewing ceremony has commenced inside Stodart Hall.
1122: Several banners which speak to the life led by the two comrades are on display here. Some of the banners about Gogo Muzenda read: A woman of substance, rest in peace caring mother, Mai Muzee: an epitome of African motherhood among others.
Banners speaking to the life of Cde Rutanhire read: A champion of anti-corruption, Cde Rutanhire: A revolutionary and charismatic leader, Cde Rutanhire: A giant revolutionary, Cde Rutanhire: The ideologist among others.

1114: President Mugabe and First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe have arrived.

1055: Meanwhile, space in the terraces, tents and the open space here at the National Heroes Acre is fast running out as Zimbabweans from across the sections of life continue trickling in for the final send off of the two fighters for the country’s independence.
1054: VP Mnangagwa has arrived, accompanied by his wife, Auxilia.
1048: Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has arrived.
1042: Service Chiefs have arrived.
1033: Defence Minister Dr Sydney Sekramayi has arrived.
1007: Speaker of the National Assembly Adv Jacob Mudenda has arrived.
1005: Agriculture Minister Dr Joseph Made has arrived.
1000: Energy Minister Samuel Undenge has arrived.
0956: Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has arrived.
0955: Harare Mayor Cllr Ben Manyenyeni has arrived
0949: Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has arrived.
0940: The bodies of Cdes Maud Muzenda and George Rutanhire have arrived at Stodart Hall in Mbare ahead of the body viewing rites which will be led by President Mugabe. A huge crowd has already gathered outside the hall to bid farewell to two more children of the soil. It certainly has been a devastating month for the nation.
0930: All is set for the burial of two of Zimbabwe’s liberators today at the National Heroes Acre, Cdes George Rutanhire and Gogo Maud Muzenda, wife to the late Vice President Simon Muzenda who was affectionately known as the Soul of the Nation.
Gogo Muzenda, died on Tuesday at the Avenues Clinic, while Cde Rutanhire, a Zanu-PF Politburo member and director of the Chitepo Ideological College, passed on last Saturday at Karanda Mission Hospital in Mt Darwin.

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