Officials flew national hero Walter Basopo home to Gutu yesterday, where family members paid respects. His body will travel to Chinhoyi farm today before returning to Harare for burial preparations. The former intelligence chief will rest at National Heroes Acre this Wednesday. He died last Tuesday at age 66 in a South African hospital after serving the country for 45 years.
President Mnangagwa named him a national hero because of his work during the liberation struggles. Basopo joined the fighters in 1976 with the ZANLA forces. He trained at Tembwe Camp before working in security operations. A serious car crash in 1979 injured him badly enough that doctors removed his arm. After independence in 1980, he started as a trainee intelligence officer in the President's Department.
His early education was in Gutu district, and his secondary schooling was at Mzingwane. During wartime, people knew him as Gerry Dzasukwa. He leaves behind two wives, Ketty and Nyasha, along with four children and grandchildren.
President Mnangagwa named him a national hero because of his work during the liberation struggles. Basopo joined the fighters in 1976 with the ZANLA forces. He trained at Tembwe Camp before working in security operations. A serious car crash in 1979 injured him badly enough that doctors removed his arm. After independence in 1980, he started as a trainee intelligence officer in the President's Department.
His early education was in Gutu district, and his secondary schooling was at Mzingwane. During wartime, people knew him as Gerry Dzasukwa. He leaves behind two wives, Ketty and Nyasha, along with four children and grandchildren.
