Burial of a Hero, Kotsho Lloyd Dube - Video live updates

THE late Zanu-PF central committee member, Lloyd Kotsho Dube who died who died in his sleep at his house on Monday morning is being laid to rest at National Hero's Acre.

Dube was born on June 25, 1935 in Malindi village, Matobo District.

President Mugabe announced the conferment of national hero status on Dube, who was also a Zanu-PF Central Committee member during a Central Committee meeting in Harare yesterday.

"The Politburo has accorded the national hero status on one of us who has served us in many many ways in education, Kotsho Dube. We will be burying him on Sunday morning," President Mugabe said.



















10:48 The hearse has arrived here at the national shrine and President Robert Mugabe is expected to arrive anytime from now.

10:52 President Robert Mugabe and First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe have arrived at National Heroes Acre.

11:04 Home Affairs Minister, Kembo Mohadi invites the Minister of Religion to read the bible.

11:15 Dube family representative addressing mourners. He thanks the government for according the late 'KD' heroe's status. 'This day is not meant for mourning. We are here to celebrate the life of a Hero. He describes the late Dube as a principled man whose life inspired many and says they all looked up to him for inspiration.

Dube was born on June 25, 1935 in Malindi Village, Matobo District.

In 1945 to 1951 he attended Zamanyoni Primary School up to Standard Six before proceeding to Mzingwane Secondary School for Standard Six.

Senior Minister of State arriving at National Heroes Acre

From 1955 to 1956 he joined the Joint Matriculation Board for Universities of South Africa and Thekwani Secondary School.

Between 1961 and 1963, he was an Articled Law Clerk at Coghlan, Welsh and Guest Attorneys.

He worked at the then Bank of Rhodesia and Nyasaland from 1963 to 1965.

Members of the Apostolic Church attending the burial of Kotsho Dube (pic-Lloyd Gumbo)

From 1965 to 1972, Dube represented PF Zapu at the United Nations and South America with operations based in New York.

Later his mandate was extended to cover United Kingdom, Scandinavia, and Western Europe with offices in London.

He was tasked with promoting Zimbabwe's struggle, lobby and secure pro-freedom policy assets from governments, trade unions, students and the general public in countries of assignments.

In 1979, Dube moved to Lusaka, Zambia where he became the director of Information and Editor-in-Chief of PF Zapu publications.

He was a member of PF Zapu delegation to the Lancaster House Conference on Decolonisation of Zimbabwe from 1979 to 1980.

At Independence up to 1990, Dube was a member of the national executive of PF Zapu and held the positions of secretary for publicity, secretary for education and national director of elections for PF Zapu in 1985.

Between 1988 and 1990, he was a member of the national integration committee tasked to implement the Unity Accord between Zanu-PF and PF Zapu.

In 1989 working as deputy secretary for administration, Dube saw the ascension of the late First Lady Amai Sally Mugabe to the helm of the Women's League.

In October 1990, he did a diplomatic course before an ambassadorial posting to France.

From 1990 to 1996, Dube was ambassador extra-ordinary and plenipotentiary of Zimbabwe to France, Spain, Portugal, the Vatican and UNESCO.

In 1997 to 2000, he was a member of board of directors for the Zimbabwe Investment Centre and vice chairman of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.

From 2002 to 2004 he was appointed ambassador to Nigeria before moving to Zambia in the same post from 2004 to 2006.

In 2012 to 2013 he was appointed chairman of the NRZ board of directors.

Some of the members of the Dube family present here at National Heroes Acre. (pic-Lloyd Gumbo)

Dube is survived by wife, Agatha, three children and three grandchildren.