Col Shoko laid to rest

Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
Defence attaché to Malaysia Colonel Tamuka Shoko who died last week after a short illness was buried at the Midlands Provincial Heroes Acre in Gweru on Wednesday. Scores of people, among them Government officials and politicians, thronged the provincial heroes’ acre to pay their last respects to Col Shoko (60) who was declared a liberation war hero.

Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Owen Ncube said Col Shoko passed on in Malaysia where he was deployed as Defence Attaché on May 21 after a short illness.

“Allow me to express my heartfelt condolences to the Shoko family in particular to the wife, Mrs Shoko and children on the tragic death of Colonel Tamuka Shoko,” he said.

Minister Ncube said Zimbabwe under the leadership of President Mnangagwa was poised for growth.
“On behalf of the Midlands community and my own behalf, allow me to express, my most sincere thanks and appreciation for the empirical successes by the new dispensation under the visionary, transformational and servant leadership of His Excellency the President and Commander-in-Chief of our Defence Forces Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa,” he said.

“This is a clear indication of his statesmanship and pragmatism as we move forward to transform the economy of our great nation.”

Minister Ncube said since his inauguration President Mnangagwa has accomplished remarkable progress in achieving the vision and objectives to turn around the economy to middle income status by year 2030.

“Over the past five months we have witnessed at various levels a transformational process from people who had lost hope to a team well-geared to support His Excellency in his noble commendable clarion call to transform and grow our economy,” said Minister Ncube.

Turning to the forthcoming harmonised elections, Minister Ncube said President Mnangagwa has pledged that the polls would be free, fair, credible, transparent and non-violent.

“In this regard, I urge you all to heed this call by promoting a conducive environment for the polls to be free and fair.
“Indeed, the voice of the people when they spoke through the ballot is the voice of God.

“Peace begins with me, peace begins with you and peace begins with all of us,” said Cde Ncube.
He said the late Col Shoko was born on June 24, 1958 at Magini Village in Zvishavane and did his primary education at Mazvihwa and secondary education at Manama Secondary School.

He joined the war in Zambia in January 1977.
He was part of the group of students that left Manama Secondary and crossed the border into Botswana to Francistown and then into Zambia.

He received his military training at Emagojine (CGT-1) where he became an instructor till independence.
He was known by the name Cde Abednigo Mkululu during the struggle.
Col Shoko is survived by his wife Portia.