Staff Reporter
The churches in Zimbabwe have expressed a deep appreciation for the conferment of the National Hero Status to the late Father Emmanuel Ribeiro.
In his press statement representing Chairman of the Faith for Nation Campaign (FANA) and the Zimbabwe Indigenous Interdenominational Council of Churches (ZIICC), Rev Andrew Wutawunashe said the National Hero Status was befitting.
“As the church, we express our deep appreciation to His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa for according the deserved honour of National Hero Status to Father Emmanuel Ribeiro as well as for rightly calling the nation to three days of mourning.
“We say to the people of Zimbabwe, Emmanuel Ribeiro was indeed a father to the whole nation, and it is fitting that we all observe these days of mourning with him and thanks giving to God for his service,” read part of the statement.
Jointly mourning the two African Heroes, the Chairman of ZIICC and FANA said, “The people of Zimbabwe and Zambia and indeed the African continent suffered the simultaneous loss of two distinguished Heroes of the African Exodus as President Kenneth David Kaunda, the founding President of Zambia and one of Africa's foremost Founding Fathers, and Zimbabwe’s beloved Catholic Cleric, Father Emmanuel Ribeiro.
“We are also deeply inspired by President Mnangagwa’s fraternal call to the people of Zimbabwe to observe fourteen days of mourning for our late African Founding Father and Pan African leader who contributed invaluable to the liberation of our nation. The late Founding President of Zambia, His Excellency Dr Kenneth David Kaunda. The church sees this as a fitting tribute to this champion of the African Exodus,” Wutawunashe said.
Dr Kenneth Kaunda was the founding President of the Republic of Zambia, prominent African Founding Father and distinguished Frontline supporter of the liberation of Southern Africa, while Father Ribeiro was Zimbabwe's distinguished cleric whose life of ministry, servant leadership and service touched practically every aspect of Zimbabwean life.
