PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday urged members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) to remain loyal in their service to the nation.
Mnangagwa made the remarks while addressing mourners during the burial of national heroes Walter Basopo and Brigadier General Tapiwa Rungani at the National Heroes Acre in Harare.
“The late Brigadier General was a larger than life commander in the ZDF.
“His professional conduct was always underpinned by integrity, humility, loyalty, enthusiasm and visionary leadership,” he said.
“These traits must be emulated by the current crop of officers, men and women in the ZDF.
“It is the dedication and commitment of gallant sons and daughters of the soil in the mould of Brigadier General (Rtd) Victor Rungani and director, Cde Walter Basopo that has helped Zimbabwe to march towards attaining its goals, even during times of adversity.”
Basopo, a retired Central Intelligence Organisation administrator and a veteran of the liberation struggle, died at Life Groenkloof Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa, following a long illness.
After independence in 1980, Basopo was inducted into the President’s Department as a trainee intelligence officer and served in a variety of roles, from intelligence officer to divisional intelligence officer and eventually to deputy director for counterintelligence in 2005.
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In 2013, he was appointed deputy director for planning and co-ordination before being promoted to director for counterintelligence in 2022.
Rungani died on Tuesday last week at Mbuya Dorcas Hospital in Waterfalls, Harare.
He was a distinguished and respected figure in the Zimbabwe National Army, where he served as the director for the Engineering and Military Equipment Directorate.
