Correspondent|The ZANU PF supreme decision making body the politburo failed to accord the late Midlands Provincial vice chairman Goodwill Shiri a National Hero Status after the provincial executive had submitted an application for the honour.

Shiri has instead been declared a liberation war hero and will be buried at the Midlands provincial hero’s acre on Friday.

Shiri (61) was killed in a road accident on Monday evening after a bus, which was trying to avoid stray donkeys, landed on top of his car near Gwenoro Turn-off along the Gweru-Bulawayo Road.

Zanu-PF Midlands provincial chairperson Engineer Daniel McKenzie Ncube said the Zanu-PF Politburo had declared Shiri a liberation war hero.

Eng Ncube said the liberation war hero status was most befitting considering Shiri’s rich political history and unquestionable war credentials.

“As a province we feel honoured that our late vice chairman Cde Shiri has been declared a liberation war hero. We will negotiate with the family and if all goes well Cde Shiri will be buried at the provincial heroes’ acre,” he said.

Shiri joined the liberation struggle in 1978.

At independence he joined the Ministry of Youths, Sports and Culture until 1989.

He was transferred to the Ministry of Political Affairs in 1990.

In 1999 Shiri was elected Zanu-PF Youths League National Political Commissar.

In 2004 he was elected into the Central Committee under Midlands Province. He retained the same position in 2014.

In 2017 Shiri was co-opted into the Midlands Provincial Executive as vice chairman a position he held until his time of death.

Shiri was involved in accident at 6.30PM on Monday while driving a branded party vehicle towards Bulawayo on the way to his farm.

He was in the company of a neighbour who also sustained serious injuries.

He is survived by his wife Sithembile and three daughters.