Harare,(New Ziana) – Zimbabwe will on Wednesday hold a double burial of two of its distinguished sons, Retired Brigadier Victor Rungani and former director for the Centrl Intelligence Organisation, Walter Basopo, at the National Heroes Acre.

The Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage confirmed the arrangements, announcing that President Emmerson Mnangagwa will preside over the proceedings.

Both Rungani and Basopo are revered as former freedom fighters who dedicated their lives to the liberation and development of Zimbabwe, before and after independence.

Their unwavering commitment to the country has earned them the ultimate honour, a resting place among the country’s greatest heroes. Basopo, 66, passed away in South Africa last Tuesday while undergoing treatment at a hospital.

Known for his distinguished service in the intelligence community, Basopo was celebrated for his steadfastness and deep loyalty to Zimbabwe’s sovereignty and security. Victor Rungani, aged 75, died at Mbuya Dorcas Hospital in Waterfalls, Harare.

A seasoned freedom fighter and an astute military figure, Rungani’s life was marked by decades of selfless dedication to national development and the upliftment of his fellow countrymen.

The Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage urged Zimbabweans to attend the burial in their numbers, describing the late heroes as “gallant Sons of the Soil” who deserve a befitting send-off. Burial proceedings at the National Heroes Acre are set to commence in the morning, with transportation for mourners provided from the usual designated pick-up points.

This will be the sixth double burial of national heroes since 2016 with notable past double burials including those of Major-General (Rtd) Solomon Siziba and Chenhamo “Chen” Chakezha Chimutengwende in January 2023, as well as former Prosecutor General Johannes Tomana and Brigadier-General (Rtd) Milton Siziba in August 2023.

New Ziana