FARAI CHITOTOMBE
MASVINGO- Two Liberation War Heroes, Lovejoy Maposa and Norman Phiri were laid to rest at the Masvingo Provincial Heroes Acre on Friday last week.
Maphosa was born in 1960 at Chokodza Village, Chikomba in Mashonaland West Province.
He left school in September 1975 at St Augustine Secondary School to join the liberation struggle and trained at Nyadzonia in Mozambique.
Phiri was born in 1957 at Shabani Mine Hospital and grew up in Maglas Township and went to join the liberation struggle.
“Norman Phiri was a much loved person and was in good books with everyone that he interacted with be it family, friends or workmates. He was a fine soccer player and was nicknamed Sugar Maseko as he served his country with honour,” said a family representative who spoke on the grave side.
“Lovejoy was a great man, he loved his family, when our mother died in 2003 when we were very young but he never remarried and he took care of us making sure we received decent education no matter how hard it was,” said one of his sons, Gregory Maposa.
“I worked with Lovejoy for the most part of my life, from Nyadzonya when we left school to join the liberation struggle like other children of that time, we went from there to Tembwe in Tete for training.
“We operated together and even after the war we again found ourselves working together at 4 Brigade, 4 1 Infantry Battalion during the formative years of the National Youth Service in 2001 until retirement,” said Kennedy Saharo.
“He was one of the most peaceful and quiet man who would rarely pick a fight with anyone, we were like brothers until the time of his death, even if we were not related by blood,” added Saharo.
The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Ezra R. Chadzamira preside over the burial of the two heroes.
“I stand before you with sadness and sorrow as we gather here today, we are paying our last respects to the two gallant sons of the soil that we have lost which is a second scenario in one year to bury two heroes in one day here at Masvingo Provincial Heroes Acre,” said Minister Chadzamira.
“Masvingo Province has been left with a big void left by the two cadres who were both inspirational figures in the fight for independence, autonomy, economic emancipation and in defending our national sovereignty through unmatched commitment and dedication to harmony and national security, go well sons of the soil,” said Minister Chadzamira.
