The founding Vice Chancellor of the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) Professor Phenias Mogorosi Makhurane, who died on Saturday, has been declared a national hero.

He will be buried at the National Heroes Acre this Saturday.

Delivering the message to the Makhurane family, Vice President Kembo Mohadi said the Zanu PF politburo which met yesterday recognised Professor Makhurane’s contribution during the liberation struggle when he was in charge of the international university education fund that supported the war veterans to further their education.

Professor Makhurane was born on the 13th of January 1939 in the Gungwe area of Gwanda, and did his primary education at Maduma and Manama schools before moving to Mnene, Chegato, Zimuto and Fletcher High School for his secondary education.

He later studied at the then Rhodesia and Nyasaland University now University of Zimbabwe, before proceeding to Sheffield University in United Kingdom to further his education.

Professor Makhurane worked at the University of Zambia before moving to Botswana University, and in 1981 he became the Pro-Vice Chancellor for the University of Zimbabwe till 1991 when he was appointed the first Vice Chancellor for NUST, a position he held until 2004.