Evaristo Dzihwema declared national hero

Former senior Zimbabwe National Army officer Evaristo Dzihwema, who died in India last week while receiving medical treatment, has been declared a national hero and will be buried at the National Heroes Acre on Monday.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to preside over the burial proceedings.

The announcement was conveyed to the Dzihwema family in Harare by Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, who delivered the President's message conferring national hero status on the retired military officer.

Maj-Gen (Rtd) Dzihwema died in India on June 25 at the age of 63 while receiving medical treatment. His body was repatriated to Zimbabwe and arrived at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on July 1.

A military funeral parade was held in his honour at Charles Gumbo Barracks, where Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander Emmanuel Matatu described him as a patriotic, disciplined and highly professional officer who dedicated his life to serving Zimbabwe.

"We gather here again under a sombre atmosphere as we pay our last military respects to the late Major General (Retired) Evaristo Dzihwema, who passed away on June 25, 2026, in India, where he was undergoing medical treatment," Matatu said.

"On behalf of the entire Zimbabwe Defence Forces family, I stand before you to pay tribute to a professional military officer whose calling was the career of arms, in which he distinguished himself through exemplary dedication and commitment."

Matatu said Dzihwema's commitment to national service left a lasting legacy in both the military and the public service.

He traced the retired general's journey from Chandi Communal Lands in Makoni District, where he joined the liberation struggle in 1978 after allegedly being assaulted by Rhodesian security forces while travelling to obtain a juvenile registration certificate.

Following military training in Mozambique, Dzihwema was deployed to the operational front before joining the Zimbabwe National Army after independence in 1980. He steadily rose through the ranks to Major-General, serving in several command and staff appointments, including Brigade Staff Officer, Director of Procurement, Director of Finance and Director-General responsible for personnel within the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.

After retiring from active military service in December 2017, Dzihwema joined the Ministry of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment as Principal Director before later becoming Chief Director in the Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs, a position he held until his death.

Matatu said he had worked closely with Dzihwema for many years and described him as an intelligent, dependable and solutions-oriented leader.

"I am privileged to have known him very well and worked closely with him for a significant part of our careers.

"We lived close to each other, our families were close and our children grew up together. General Dzihwema had a sharp intellect and a good grasp of operational, administrative and logistical issues.

"He always offered practical ideas to challenges we faced and approached every task methodically," he said.

Matatu added that even after retirement, Dzihwema continued to support the Zimbabwe Defence Forces by offering professional advice whenever called upon.

During his distinguished career, Dzihwema received several honours, including the Liberation Medal, Independence Medal, Ten-Year Service Medal, Long and Exemplary Service Medal, Mozambique Campaign Medal, Democratic Republic of the Congo Medal and the Commander of the Zimbabwe Order of Merit.

Speaking on behalf of the family, his younger brother, Shadreck Dzihwema, described him as a humble leader who remained deeply connected to his roots despite rising through the military ranks.

"We have lost not only a brother but also a mentor and father figure. He always encouraged us to work hard, remain disciplined and serve our country with honesty," he said.

Mr Dzihwema said the family was comforted by the recognition accorded to his brother and thanked the Government, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and members of the public for their support following his death.

Maj-Gen Dzihwema is survived by his wife, Alice, and three sons.