By A Correspondent – Veteran broadcaster and former Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) staffer, Stanley Goredema, has been declared a liberation hero and laid to rest at his Msengezi homestead in Zvimba.
Goredema, who passed away on July 1 after a long illness, was honoured by President Emmerson Mnangagwa for his contributions to Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle and post-independence development. The announcement of his hero status was met with widespread praise from family, colleagues, and former collaborators, who gathered to pay their respects to a man hailed as a dedicated public servant and media professional.
His son, Mr Christmas Goredema, expressed the family’s appreciation for the national recognition:
“We want to thank the President for conferring our father with a liberation hero status. It gives us comfort as a family to know that our father played a pivotal role in the country’s history. He was a caring father who was also dedicated to his work.”
Chegutu East MP and ZANU PF Deputy Political Commissar Webster Shamu described Goredema as a patriot and urged the younger generation to carry forward the mission of economic emancipation.
“People like Cde Goredema and other departed heroes fought for the independence of this nation. The onus is now on the youth to be disciplined and take the nation forward. We worked with Cde Goredema at ZBC to push our own Zimbabwean agenda.”
Goredema is also remembered for his long service at Radio 3 (now Power FM), where he worked as a presenter and producer between 1979 and 1983, before moving to the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) in 1984. There, he served as Principal Public Relations Officer until 2018, playing a key role in the National Heroes Burial Process. He coordinated between NMMZ, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, and bereaved families, ensuring dignified ceremonies and the observance of cultural protocols.
Doves Funeral Services Managing Director, Mr Nyasha Matsika, paid tribute to Goredema’s professionalism and collaborative spirit:
“We worked hand in glove with the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, especially during national heroes’ holidays. He was instrumental in coordinating these events, and our presence here is testimony to the role he played.”
Chegutu District Development Coordinator Mr Mark Kadaira, representing the Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Hon Marian Chombo, described Goredema as a “pillar of support” for families of national heroes:
“He ensured families remained informed, supported, and engaged from the moment of declaration to the interment.”
Goredema also participated in the exhumation and dignified reburial of liberation war fighters, reinforcing his lifelong commitment to preserving the country’s historical memory.
He is survived by his wife, Josiline Mubaiwa, five children, and eight grandchildren.