News / National
Chief Tafirenyika Mangwende declared liberation hero
21 Dec 2013 at 00:58hrs | Views
Former president of the Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs, Chief Mangwende, Jonathan Tafirenyika Chibanda has been declared a liberation hero.
He will be buried this afternoon at Mukarakate Village in Murehwa.
Minister of State for Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs Simbaneuta Mudarikwa yesterday said President Mugabe had conferred the late Chief Mangwende with a liberation hero status.
He said people should not mourn, but celebrate the life of a chief who was an icon.
Chief Mangwende was unanimously elected president of the Chiefs Council in July 1991, succeeding Chief Zephania Charumbira, who died earlier that year.
He served until 2005.
Mourners who gathered for his memorial service in Harare included Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mabel Chinomona, Deputy Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Biggie Matiza, Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Saviour Kasukuwere and numerous chiefs.
Chief Mangwende trained as a teacher at Nyadire Teachers' College in Mutoko in 1957 and in 1969 he was appointed chief.
He was elected to the third Council of Chiefs in 1973 and was also elected senator in 1974. He was a member of the Chibero Agricultural College Council from 1973 to 1975.
Chief Mangwende died on Monday in South Africa where he was receiving treatment.
He was 77.
He is survived by 17 children, 32 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. Mourners are gathered at his homestead in Mukarakate Village in Murehwa.
He will be buried this afternoon at Mukarakate Village in Murehwa.
Minister of State for Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs Simbaneuta Mudarikwa yesterday said President Mugabe had conferred the late Chief Mangwende with a liberation hero status.
He said people should not mourn, but celebrate the life of a chief who was an icon.
Chief Mangwende was unanimously elected president of the Chiefs Council in July 1991, succeeding Chief Zephania Charumbira, who died earlier that year.
Mourners who gathered for his memorial service in Harare included Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mabel Chinomona, Deputy Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Biggie Matiza, Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Saviour Kasukuwere and numerous chiefs.
Chief Mangwende trained as a teacher at Nyadire Teachers' College in Mutoko in 1957 and in 1969 he was appointed chief.
He was elected to the third Council of Chiefs in 1973 and was also elected senator in 1974. He was a member of the Chibero Agricultural College Council from 1973 to 1975.
Chief Mangwende died on Monday in South Africa where he was receiving treatment.
He was 77.
He is survived by 17 children, 32 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. Mourners are gathered at his homestead in Mukarakate Village in Murehwa.
Source - herald
