Sibanda shunned heroes acre before death

Comment & Analysis
BY NQOBANI NDLOVUBULAWAYO — The family of the late MDC founding Vice-President, Gibson Sibanda (pictured) has revealed that the MDC founder never wanted to be buried at the National Heroes Acre in Harare as the family had already built a burial site for its members in Filabusi, Matabeleland South province.

Mbuso Sibanda, the family spokesperson, told The Standard ahead of a memorial service for the late Sibanda to be held today at his rural home that the family would not have allowed the late ex-trade unionist to be buried at the shrine.

 

The two MDC formations made noise last year after Sibanda was denied a hero status by Zanu PF in light of his contributions before and after independence.

Sibanda died in August last year due to a cancer ailment. After his death, the MDC, with support from MDC-T, wrote two separate letters to President Robert Mugabe requesting that the former trade union leader be accorded national hero status and be buried at the national shrine.