News / National
Tekere declared 'national hero number 100'
09 Jun 2011 at 09:44hrs | Views
LIBERATION war icon Edgar Tekere who died on Tuesday after a long battle with cancer was on Thursday declared a national hero by the party he helped found.
The late Cde Tekere was born on 1 April 1937 and joined nationalist politics around 1960.
He was a member of early nationalist organisations in the then Southern Rhodesia who was among the five founding members of ZANU.
In 1964, he was detained by the Rhodesian government together with Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe, Cde Didymus Mutasa, among many other nationalists.
In 1975, he accompanied ZANU leader, Cde Robert Mugabe and crossed into Mozambique on foot after serving 10 years at Sikombela and Hwahwa State prison.
Tekere was to assist in leading the guerilla warfare in which ZANU got most of the aid from the then Mozambican President, Cde Samora Machel and the FRELIMO party.
Edgar Tekere received the code name "mukoma" by close family members and relatives and was elected by a democratic process to be the first Zanu-PF Secretary-General following Zimbabwe's Independence.
ZBC quotes Zanu-PF secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa as saying the party is now consulting the family on the burial date.
Cde Tekere - who was one of the founders of Zanu-PF and former secretary-general - succumbed to prostate cancer in Mutare on Tuesday.
Zanu-PF Manicaland provincial chairman Cde Mike Madiro had earlier said the province felt Cde Tekere should be declared a national hero.
"In his own utterances, he (Tekere) used to say he was more Zanu-PF than most of us and it is surprising that some people are trying to gain political mileage through his death.
"Even sellouts and surrogates of the West now want to be associated with a veteran nationalist like Cde Tekere.
"What we know is that he died when he had returned to his original home, Zanu-PF. He never lost his patriotism and he was a free man who would speak his mind. As a province, we feel that we are now one man short," said Cde Madiro.
"If you can imagine that at one time Cde Tekere was our secretary-general, but he died an ordinary card carrying member, which shows his humbleness. He never drifted from his principles," he said.
"Fearless and highly temperamental, the late Cde Tekere did not hesitate to take risks for his cause, often paying a heavy price in the process," Mugabe said.
The late Cde Tekere was born on 1 April 1937 and joined nationalist politics around 1960.
He was a member of early nationalist organisations in the then Southern Rhodesia who was among the five founding members of ZANU.
In 1964, he was detained by the Rhodesian government together with Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe, Cde Didymus Mutasa, among many other nationalists.
In 1975, he accompanied ZANU leader, Cde Robert Mugabe and crossed into Mozambique on foot after serving 10 years at Sikombela and Hwahwa State prison.
Tekere was to assist in leading the guerilla warfare in which ZANU got most of the aid from the then Mozambican President, Cde Samora Machel and the FRELIMO party.
Edgar Tekere received the code name "mukoma" by close family members and relatives and was elected by a democratic process to be the first Zanu-PF Secretary-General following Zimbabwe's Independence.
Cde Tekere - who was one of the founders of Zanu-PF and former secretary-general - succumbed to prostate cancer in Mutare on Tuesday.
Zanu-PF Manicaland provincial chairman Cde Mike Madiro had earlier said the province felt Cde Tekere should be declared a national hero.
"In his own utterances, he (Tekere) used to say he was more Zanu-PF than most of us and it is surprising that some people are trying to gain political mileage through his death.
"Even sellouts and surrogates of the West now want to be associated with a veteran nationalist like Cde Tekere.
"What we know is that he died when he had returned to his original home, Zanu-PF. He never lost his patriotism and he was a free man who would speak his mind. As a province, we feel that we are now one man short," said Cde Madiro.
"If you can imagine that at one time Cde Tekere was our secretary-general, but he died an ordinary card carrying member, which shows his humbleness. He never drifted from his principles," he said.
"Fearless and highly temperamental, the late Cde Tekere did not hesitate to take risks for his cause, often paying a heavy price in the process," Mugabe said.
Source - .
