The Sunday Mail
9.44 am – A huge crowd has already gathered at National Heroes Acre for the burial of Professor Ngwabi Mulunge Bhebe
9.45 am – A number of Ministers, Service Chiefs, Senior Government officials, the diplomatic community and uniformed forces are also in attendance
9.46 am – Vice President Kembo Mohadi has arrived
9.46 am – Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has arrived
9.48 am – Professor Bhebe’s body has arrived
9.50 am – President Mnangagwa has arrived at the National Heroes Acre
10.08 am – Family spokesperson Mr Mzingaye Bhebe takes to the podium
10.10 am – The Bhebe family is humbled and honoured to Government for conferring Prof Bhebe national hero status
The family spokesperson says Prof Bhebe strongly believed in education’s power to transform one’s life.
10.11 am – He was a hard worker who installed a strong work ethic in the family, said Mr Mr Musinaye Bhebe
“He set an example for young people to believe that one can come from humble background and still make great achievements,” he added.
“As a family we thank President Mnangagwa for recognising his great work and service to the country.”
10.13 am – Mr Musinaye Bhebe finishes his address
10.20 am – President Mnangagwa takes to the podium
10.21 am – “We have been robbed of a patriot and nationalist par excellence,” says President Mnangagwa
10.23 am – President Mnangagwa said Prof Bhebe was an academic and scholar of repute
10.24 am – “On behalf of the people and Government of Zimbabwe, I express my heartfelt condolences to the Bhebe family for this heartfelt loss,” said President Mnangagwa
10.27 am – President Mnangagwa said as the founding Vice Chancellor of the Midlands State University (MSU), Prof Bhebe laid the groundwork for the opening of other institutions that followed
“He contributed to the setting up and successful opening of a number of our higher learning institutions,” said the President
10.31 am – The MSU now occupies a place of excellence in the local and regional academic ecosystem due to Prof Bhebe, said the President
10.32 am – Prof Bhebe’s numerous writings showed his dedication to contributing to the local body of knowledge, said the President
“Our writers should redefine our past and present narrative”
10.33 am – His Excellency said Prof Bhebe is among the academics who helped in advancing the ideology of the liberation struggle
“They never wavered and never used their education to denigrate their country.
“Let’s use our education to develop our country and bring many of our people out of poverty,” he said.
10.33 am – “I urge the private sector to create synergies with the academia, to come up with innovations that can be commercialised to grow the local industry”
10.44 am – President Mnangagwa said Prof Bhebe was a successful builder of mindsets, institutions and indigenous knowledge
10.46 am – President Mnangagwa ends his address
