The late former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, who passed away at the age of 84 in India while receiving medical treatment, is expected to be buried at his family plot in Douglasdale, Bulawayo, despite being declared a national hero.
Mphoko was posthumously honored as a national hero by the government, which typically results in burial at the National Heroes Acre in Harare, where many independence war heroes are interred. However, according to his family, Mphoko expressed his desire to be buried at his property in Douglasdale, located about 10km southeast of Bulawayo.
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His brother, Ndaba Mphoko, confirmed that the family plans to honor his wishes. He stated that the responsibility for repatriating Mphoko’s remains lies jointly with the government and the family, as the government’s declaration of him as a national hero complicates the burial process.
Mphoko, who served as the country’s Vice President from 2014 to 2017, is the latest in a line of prominent figures who have chosen not to be buried at the National Heroes Acre. Former President Robert Mugabe, for instance, also opted for burial at his rural home in Kutama rather than the national shrine. Other figures, such as Welshman Mabhena and Dumiso Dabengwa, also declined to be buried at the Heroes Acre.
Ndaba Mphoko added that the family had already informed the government of his brother’s wishes and would submit official communication to confirm these instructions. Despite this, he noted that he was unsure why Mphoko preferred an alternative burial site rather than the National Heroes Acre.
