adminAuxilia Katongomara Chronicle Reporter
ANGLICAN Diocese of Matabeleland Nkulumane Parish priest Reverend Desmond Chibaya has died. He was 40. Rev Chibaya passed away early on Sunday morning at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare where he had been admitted. The clergyman who suffered from hypertension was ferried to the health institution after he collapsed and suffered a stroke in his hotel room.
His father, Joel Chibaya confirmed the reverend’s death.
“Desmond collapsed and suffered a stroke but failed to recover and passed away at around 7AM on Sunday morning. It is really a sad loss to the family and we are really shocked and still trying to come to terms with his untimely departure,” said Chibaya.
Rev Chibaya had travelled to Harare to attend the Harare Synod on behalf of the Diocese of Matabeleland.
His father said Rev Chibaya was born on 1 June 1974 in Hwedza and did his primary education at Marumbi School before moving to Seventh Day Adventist School Mutiweshiri for his secondary education.
He once worked as a temporary teacher.
In 1997, he joined the Anglican Bishop Gaul Theological College and graduated as a deacon in 1999.
The following year he was ordained as a priest and served at several parishes including St Columba’s in Bulawayo since the year 2000.
Rev Chibaya was a widower; his wife passed away in 2011. The couple had no children.
His father said he was likely to be buried in Bulawayo on Wednesday.
“His body has been transferred from Harare to Bulawayo where he is to be buried,” the reverend’s father said.
Details of where mourners are gathered in Bulawayo were not available by the time of going to print as Rev Chibaya’s father is in Harare.
Some Bulawayo church leaders said they were not cleared to talk to the Press.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter