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Hararre Bureau
ZANU-PF has declared Guruve South legislator and former Cabinet Minister Cde Edward Chindori-Chininga a liberation hero.
Cde Chindori-Chininga died in car accident last Wednesday. Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Cde Didymus Mutasa yesterday confirmed that the party had accorded Cde Chindori-Chininga liberation hero status.
“There are three status in Zanu-PF the highest being the national hero, which we have not granted. The second one is the liberation hero, which is what we have granted to Cde Chindori-Chininga. This is almost similar to the liberation war hero status given to those who fought in the liberation war,” Cde Mutasa said.
He said Mashonaland Central province had requested that the party grant him national hero status, but he could not qualify.
“When we considered and consulted we agreed he could not qualify for national hero status,” he said.
Family spokesperson Mr Victor Chininga said they had been informed that his brother had been granted liberation hero status.
“Mashonaland Central provincial chairperson (Cde Dickson Mafios) told us about the decision made and we are finalising burial arrangements,” he said.
He said Cde Chindori-Chininga would be buried tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon at Chininga homestead in Guruve.
Cde Chindori-Chininga died on the spot when the car he was driving failed to stop at the T-junction of the Guruve-Mvurwi road and rammed into a tree. He was 58.
Cde Chindori-Chininga, the chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy, served as the Minister of Mines and Mining Development between 2000 and 2004.
Before that, he had been the Deputy Minister of Mines, Environment and Tourism from 1995 to 2000.
Cde Chindori-Chininga was also the chairman of the Stakeholders Committee of the Parliamentary Select Committee on the new Constitution.
He once served as the Zimbabwe Tourist Development Council director (Southern Africa) and worked as the director for the Zimbabwe tourism offices in New York.
He is survived by a wife Linda and three children.
Online Reporter
derick.khumalo