Double national heroes’ burials on Monday

Zim Now Writer

President Emmerson Mnangagwa will preside over the double burials of national heroes, Brigadier-General (Retired) Milton Siziba and Ambassador Johannes Tomana, during the commemoration of Heroes Day at the National Heroes Acre on Monday.

Brig-Gen Siziba died at his home in Northvale, Bulawayo after a short illness on August 1, while Ambassador Tomana died after complaining of stomach pains after visiting his rural home in Honde Valley last Sunday.

The Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage confirmed the twin burials in a statement yesterday.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage wishes to advise the nation that there shall be a twin burial for the two late national heroes at the National Heroes Acre on Monday 14 August 2023.”

Mourners are expected to be seated by 7am.

“The burials shall be preceded by the commemorations of Heroes Day at the same venue,” said the ministry.

Brig-Gen Siziba joined the liberation war as a Zipra cadre and was attested into the Zimbabwe National Army where he rose through the ranks to become Brigadier-General before joining the then ZPS.

Ambassador Tomana was a lawyer by training and distinguished himself in private practice.

In 2005, he was appointed as one of the commissioners of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, one of the independent constitutional bodies established to fight graft.

Ambassador Tomana was later appointed Attorney-General in 2008, where he performed the dual role of leading the prosecution department and Government advisory role.

The two were later split under the new Constitution that came into effect in 2013, where Ambassador Tomana became the country’s first Prosecutor-General.

He was posted to the DRC on joining the diplomatic service in 2020.