Source: National hero Brig-Gen Tshuma burial on Wednesday – herald
Zimpapers Reporter
PRESIDENT MNANGAGWA will preside over the burial of national hero Brigadier-General (Retired) Donald Silundi Tshuma at the National Heroes Acre on Wednesday.
Brig-Gen (Retd) Tshuma died on May 15 at his Nkulumane home in Bulawayo.
He was 71.
His body will be taken to Swart village in Bubi district, Matabeleland North province, today for a family ceremony and flown back to Bulawayo later during the day.
A provincial send-off ceremony is set to be held tomorrow.
In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage said Brigadier-General (Retd) Tshuma’s remains will be flown to Charles Gumbo Barracks in Harare on Tuesday, where they will lie in state ahead of burial on Wednesday.
“Tomorrow (Sunday), from 11am, the body of the late national hero, Brigadier-General (Retd) Donald Silundi Tshuma, will be airlifted from Bulawayo to Swart village in Bubi district for a brief family ceremony,” the statement reads in part.
“The late Brigadier-General (Retd) Donald Silundi Tshuma will be flown back to Bulawayo, where he will lie in state at the family residence.
“A provincial send-off ceremony for the late national hero will be held on Monday, May 25, 2026. On Tuesday, from 3pm, the remains of the late national hero will be flown to Charles Gumbo Barracks VIP Funeral Parlour, where he will lie in state ahead of burial on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.”
Brig-Gen (Retd) Tshuma, whose Chimurenga name was Henry Silundi, became involved in politics at a young age, driven by the injustices and racial discrimination experienced under the Rhodesian regime.
He was notably in the structures of the ZAPU Youth League as the District Organising Secretary in Gwabalanda (Bulawayo).
But his activism attracted the attention of the Rhodesian Special Branch.
He, however, evaded arrest and crossed into Botswana in November 1976.
He stayed in Botswana for a month before crossing into Zambia to join the liberation struggle as a ZIPRA (Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army) cadre.
He briefly stayed at Nampundwe Transit Camp up to 1977 before being sent to Mwembeshi Camp for initial military training.
After completing his training, he was deployed along the Zambezi River on the Northern Front.
In February 1978, the late Brig-Gen (Retd) Tshuma was part of 300 cadres, who included the late national hero Lieutenant-General Lookout Masuku, to be selected to go for further military training in Libya.
The training could not take place as the Libyan government gave a condition that they were to join the Muslim religion first before training, but they refused.
He stayed in Libya for one year and returned to Zambia.
In November 1979, he and other colleagues were selected to go to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (now Russia) for further military training.
He trained as a platoon commander up to June 1980.
After independence, he rose through the ranks of the army.
He was promoted to Captain in 1981, Major in 1982 and later to Lieutenant-Colonel in 2012.
Upon his retirement in 2020, he attained the rank of Brigadier-General.
During his service, he received several awards in recognition of his dedication and contribution to the nation.
These include the Liberation Medal, the Independence Medal, the Long and Exemplary Service Medal, and the Commander of the Zimbabwe Order of Merit Award.
Brig-Gen Tshuma is survived by four children.
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