Source: The Herald – Breaking news.
Joseph Madzimure, Senior Reporter
NATIONAL hero, Brigadier-General (Retired) Elasto Madzingira, who died at his home in Greendale, Harare at the age of 65 on August 8 after a short illness, will be buried tomorrow at the National Heroes Acre.
In an interview yesterday, the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Kazembe Kazembe, said President Mnangagwa will preside over the burial.
“The burial is on Wednesday this week; the usual mobilisation of people is already being done,” he said.
Minister Kazembe urged members of the public to be seated by 7 am.
Madzingira family spokesperson, Wing Commander (Rtd) Wilmore Madzingira, commended President Mnangagwa for conferring his brother with national hero status.
“We are happy as a family for the recognition accorded to our brother. We appreciate it,” he said.
Rtd Brig Gen Madzingira’s body will be airlifted from Harare to the Madzingira homestead in Chivi, Masvingo this morning. It is expected back in Harare this afternoon where it will lie in state at his home in Greendale.
Brig-Gen Madzingira was born on August 4, 1959 in Gomba Village, Chivi District, the sixth in a family of 11 children. He and two of his siblings abandoned their university studies to join the liberation struggle.
He did his primary education in Chivi at Mukotosi and Jaka schools. Despite the bottlenecked education system, Brig-Gen Madzingira demonstrated academic prowess that won him a secondary place at Fletcher High School from 1972 to 1977.
In recognition of his immense academic talent, he was awarded a Word University Services Scholarship in 1978.
The scholarship gave him access to a university of his choice within the Commonwealth countries, but he chose to enrol for a Pharmacy degree at the then University of Rhodesia (now University of Zimbabwe).
However, a few months into his studies in 1978, Brig-Gen Madzingira decided to abandon his studies to join the liberation struggle in Mozambique. He joined the ZANLA forces in Bikita through the underground network of the late national hero Dr Simon Mazorodze.
He was in a group of five other university students; two of whom were his brothers.
At that time, he demonstrated political awareness and commitment beyond his age that the guerrilla commanders singled him out to train at the front while the other four were taken directly to Chimoio, Mozambique.
Brig-Gen Madzingira operated for five months under the leadership of Air Marshal (Rtd) Henry Muchena before proceeding to Mozambique where he received military training. He later assumed the role of medical training officer where he trained troop medics at the rear.
Some of his trainees were later integrated into the Ministry of Health as state-registered nurses and radiographers at independence.
He later moved to Inamhinga and during the ceasefire in 1979, he was deployed to ZANLA headquarters in Maputo where he joined the Secretariat.
He returned to Zimbabwe in August 1980 and was later sent to Yugoslavia in November 1980 where he studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Zagreb.
However, he could not complete his studies due to ill-health. He returned to Zimbabwe in March 1982. The same year, he resumed his studies at the University of Zimbabwe under the auspices of the Ministry of Manpower Planning, studying for a Bachelor of Accountancy Degree from 1983 to 1985.
With his qualifications and expertise, Brig-Gen Madzingira worked in finance and rose to become the Director Finance before his retirement.
In 1992, he sustained serious injuries while on duty, which left him wheelchair bound. This resulted in his retirement on medical grounds. He was transferred to the ZNA and promoted to the rank of Brigadier General for retirement purposes.
Brig-Gen Madzingira was decorated with the following honours: Independence Medal, 10 Years’ Service Medal, Mozambique Campaign Medal, Liberation Medal and the Long and Exemplary Service Medal.
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