Unknown Don Muvuti declared national hero

Veteran nationalist and former Zimbabwe Newspapers Group board member Don Kwaedza Muvuti who died on Wednesday last week at a Harare hospital has been declared a national hero.

Muvuti (84) who was also a Zanu-PF National Consultative Assembly member was unanimously declared a national hero during an extra-ordinary politburo meeting held at State House yesterday.

The Politburo's decision was announced at Muvuti's home in St Martin's by Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Ignatius Chombo who was leading a delegation comprising Minister of Defence, Sydney Sekeramayi, Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Simon Khaya Moyo and Senate president Edna Madzongwe.

He described Muvuti as a dedicated cadre who contributed a lot to Zanu-PF during and after the liberation struggle.

"We came here last night (Sunday) and we acknowledged that we had received the request from Mashonaland East that he be declared a national hero outlining his contributions to the party and the struggle. The President however, said it was only proper that the Politburo discuss his hero status today (yesterday) before we embark on our normal duties and that is what we did at State House this morning.

"We heard about his life history as the Politburo and everyone expressed their gratitude for the work that Muvuti did for the party through his writings in its various publications, writing about the history of the party and also as an administrator. From the time he left school until his death he dedicated his life to working for the party.

"The President saw it fit that because of his dedication to duty and hard work without expecting any monetary benefits, Don Muvuti be buried at the National Heroes Acre. He has been declared a national hero and we have agreed with the family that he will be buried on Wednesday," Chombo said.

Family representative and former GMB chief executive Samuel Muvuti thanked President Mugabe for recognising the late Muvuti.

"As a family we are grateful that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces who is also the First Secretary of our party has recognised our father as a national hero," he said.

Muvuti, who died last Wednesday, had not been well for some time, having been diagnosed with cancer in 2013.

He was born in Hwedza on June 20, 1933 and did his primary education at Chigwedere and Waddilove Primary Schools before proceeding to Goromonzi High School for his secondary education.

Upon completing school he was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship to study at Aligaru University in India.

After attaining his first degree he proceeded to New Dehli University for his Master's Degree.

Muvuti became politically active while doing his undergraduate degree and was part of the African Students Association that included the late Cdes Solomon Tawengwa and John Mataure, which articulated the needs of African students there as well as being a vehicle through which they canvassed support for the African' liberation movements fighting to end colonial rule.

After completing his Master's degree Muvuti joined the liberation struggle in Tanzania in 1964 where he met the late former Zanu national chairman Herbert Chitepo.

During the war he played a role in mobilising resources and international support for the country's fight for independence and held various position in the then Zanu, now Zanu-PF, that include Deputy Secretary for Information and Publicity and Deputy Secretary General.

After independence Muvuti also served as a ZBC board member in the 1980s, sat in the Zanu-PF Central Committee and at the time of his death was a member of the party's NCA and a proof reader at the party's publication, The Voice.

Muvuti is survived by his wife, Deliwe seven children and eight grandchildren.