State Media|ZANU PF stalwart Absalom Sikhosana (70) who died at the United Bulawayo Hospitals on Monday and has since been declared a national hero will be buried at the National Heroes Acre on Wednesdays after a memorial service scheduled for White City Stadium in Bulawayo today.

Sikhosana’s body lay in state at his residence in Nkulumane suburb, Bulawayo, yesterday night and will this morning be flown to his farm in Inyathi, before being taken back to Bulawayo for the White City memorial service set for 11am.

The national hero’s body will be flown to Harare around 3pm for burial tomorrow morning.

Mr William Changwara, who represented Secretary for Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Mr Aaron Nhepera, said due to Sikhosana’s contributions, Government saw it fit that he be buried at the national shrine among his revolutionary cadres.

Government has organised vehicles for 12 of the national hero’s relatives and three buses to take 96 mourners to Harare for the burial.

Each bus will ferry 32 mourners to observe social distancing.

Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Judith Ncube said Sikhosana would be buried alongside other national leaders including the late Vice-Presidents, Joshua Nkomo and Simon Muzenda.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Reverend Imon Ndlovu said Government’s decision had been welcomed by the family.

“Cde Sikhosana worked closely with Government and as a family, we can’t be seen contradicting it. Government knows better the magnitude of his works. Again, if we as a family are allowed to access the National Heroes Acre, we don’t see any problem with the latest arrangement,” said Rev Ndlovu.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs Jelina Dube-Sikhosana, five children and six grandchildren.