Family requests hero status and 'state-assisted burial' for Andy Brown

The family of the late singer Andy Brown who died from pneumonia on Friday evening have launched a request with Zanu-PF for the veteran musician to be accorded a provincial hero status amid claims it was also seeking state-assisted burial for the former star, the Daily News reported on Sunday.

Brown's uncle and family spokesperson Douglas Ncube said they had put an official request for the Daisy hit maker to be awarded hero's status but he dismissed claims that they were desperate

"The family, friends and artists have the capacity of giving Andy a decent burial in Mberengwa on Wednesday. We are guided by Shona culture and chema (a money token of condolence) is not solicited neither are people stopped from giving it, but there is no equivalent work for chema in English so some people are going around on the social networks asking for contributions. We are not desperate we can bury Andy."

Ncube said the family was waiting for Brown's brother in Germany and his daughter in the United States of America to arrive for the burial.

"On Monday, the body will be collected from the mortuary and lie in state here in Cranborne and on Tuesday we will travel to Mberengwa for burial on Wednesday."

Brown will be buried in his place of birth in Chingechuru village under chief Mudavanhu, Mberengwa.

A locally-based news website reported that Brown's family sent out a request for assistance with burying the legendary guitarist who died on Friday evening.

The website said a family friend Tsungi Zvobgo and Brown's sister-in-law Shirley Khan, who have been appointed to raise the funds necessary for burial costs, said that they were reaching out to Andy's fans and friends to assist.

"We need to put together money to feed relatives who are gathering for the funeral and for the burial itself," said Zvobgo.

The Daily News on Sunday contacted Khan who referred us to Ncube saying he was more qualified to speak as he was a close relative.

Mourners are currently gathered at 8 Gibbings Road in Cranbourne, Harare.

Brown, who died in Harare on Friday is survived by 10 children two of which he had with his current wife Madini and others with several women, among them mbira music sensation, Chiwoniso Maraire.

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