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Ambassador Chideya dies at 67

by Staff reporter
13 Dec 2011 at 21:52hrs | Views
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai hands over a wheel chair to Mr Saul Manenji in Harare
FORMER Zimbabwean ambassador to the Nordic countries Ngoni Togarepi Chideya has died at 67. Nordic countries cover Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.

Ambassador Chideya was husband to Zimbabwean ambassador to Canada Mrs Florence Chideya.

He died in Canada last Thursday.

In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had been robbed of a "workmate and friend" who worked tirelessly in defending the country's independence and sovereignty.

Born in Mazowe in 1944, Ambassador Chideya completed his secondary education through private studies in 1964.

He went to the United States where he studied for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography.

He also studied for a Masters in Educational Administration and a doctorate in Higher Education at the State University of New York between 1970 and 1976.

Ambassador Chideya joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1990 as a deputy secretary.

In October the same year he was appointed ambassador to the Nordic countries.

In 1993, he was appointed High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

He returned home in 1999 and was appointed head of the special information unity in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In September the same year, Ambassador Chideya was appointed director for Europe and Americas.

In 2001, he was appointed divisional head of protocol, legal and consular.

He also held several positions in the ministry before retiring in 2004.

He is survived byhis wife, Florence and two children.

Government is working on arrangements to repatriate his body.

Source - TH