The Harare provincial branch of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF has asked the party to designate the late politburo member Kantibhai Gordanbhai Patel a national hero based on his contributions to the liberation struggle.
The Indian-born Patel came to Zimbabwe in 1961 became involved in liberation activities, first joining PF-ZAPU and later ZANU-PF. Patel was elected to the ZANU-PF politburo in 2004, and held a number of parliamentary offices as well.
Patel died in South Africa where he was being treated after falling at his home in Harare last month, fracturing his skull and breaking a hip bone. He was 83.
Family spokesman Vijay Patel told VOA Studio 7 reporter Sithandekile Mhlanga that while the body of the deceased will be cremated and his ashes scattered in locations including the River Ganges in India, the family would offer some of his ashes to be scattered at Heroes Acre in Harare should he be granted national hero status.