President Emmerson Mnangagwa has announced a new rule that all soldiers who attains the rank of Major-General and above will be declared national heroes upon death.
Mnangagwa made the announcement when he visited the late Major General Sydney Bhebhe family home in Cranborne West, Harare.
Bhebhe died on Monday at the Avenues Clinic.
The Zanu Pf first secretary declared Bhebhe a national hero, insisting that top ranked soldiers will only be accorded national hero status if they perform according to expectations.
“We now have a rule that all who have reached the level of Major General are national heroes, but if you start performing at variance with expectations, you will not be accorded a national hero status,” he said.
Mnangagwa added that, “We have iconic figures at the National Heroes Acre, like former Vice President Joshua Nkomo and former Vice President Simon Muzenda, the likes of Hebert Chitepo , among others, so if you again perform contrary to expectations, you can not be buried where they are buried.”
The late Major General Bhebhe will be buried at the National Heroes Acre on a date to be advised by the government in consultation with the family.
