Precious Maphosa, Sunday News Reporter
WAR veteran and former army senior officer, Retired Lieutenant-Colonel Benedict Khupe who died on 5 January was laid to rest yesterday at the Bulawayo Provincial Heroes’ Acre in Nkulumane.
Cde Khupe, whose pseudo name was Cde Iddie, was buried in an emotional ceremony which was attended by Government and Zanu-PF officials. Speaker after speaker described the Rtd Lt-Col Khupe as a role model who also sacrificed a lot during the liberation struggle.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs, Cde Judith Ncube, Bulawayo District Administrator Mrs Tswagai Fikile Marovatsanga said the nation has lost a man who sacrificed a lot to free the country.
Cde Khupe was born at Maqhina Village in Kezi in 1953. He did his primary education at Kezi Primary School and Insukamani Primary School in Bulawayo and then proceeded to do secondary education through correspondence and obtained an Ordinary Level certificate.
He joined the liberation war in 1977 in Zambia and after completing his training he was sent to the Soviet Union for further training in communications.
When he returned he was deployed in Livingstone, Zambia as a regional communications officer.
At the attainment of Independence he was attested into the Zimbabwe National Army on 25 March 1980 and promoted to a rank of
Lieutenant and rose through the ranks until he attained the rank of Major.
He was divorced and is survived by five children and four grandchildren.