admin
Elita Chikwati Senior Reporter
Scores of people including senior Government officials, senior officials in the office of the Attorney-General’s Office, Prosecutor-General, private sector, lawyers, academics, students and relatives yesterday thronged the University of Zimbabwe to bid farewell to the late deputy chairperson of Zimbabwe Law Development Commission and law reviser, Mr Joel Bigboy Zowa.
He was 65.
He was buried at Glen Forest Memorial Park yesterday afternoon.
Mr Zowa died in his sleep two weeks ago in New York where he was working as a legal advisor to a high-level Government team.
The funeral procession started with a service at the University of Zimbabwe that was attended by Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, Chief Secretary to the Office of the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda, Prosecutor-General Kumbirai Hodzi, Justice Luke Malaba, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Commissioner-General Paradzai Zimondi, former Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa, University of Zimbabwe Dean of the Faculty of Law Faculty of Law, Dr Innocent Maja among others.
Cde Chinamasa and Minister Ziyambi talked immensely about Mr Zowa’s contribution to the Ministry of Justice through updating statutes and advising them on their duties.
Minister Ziyambi said he was a selfless hero who worked tirelessly for the nation and was never corrupt.
“As Government Mr Zowa was one of our own. We relied on Zowa when there was work to be done when the AG was not around. He was an unsung hero, but very important.
“Zowa was very passionate about his country and lived a humble and simple life. Some people become corrupt when assigned duties they start engaging in dirty deals, but he was never corrupt.
“I want to thank President Mnangagwa for according Mr Zowa a State-assisted funeral and repatriating his body from New York,” he said.
Dr Sibanda and brother-in-law to the late lawyer said Mr Zowa had left an indelible mark in all aspects of Zimbabwe’s socio- economic fabric.
“He thus leaves behind a universal legacy of a highly-committed public servant who put his county and the welfare of the Zimbabwean citizens above his own.
“He was down to earth and a humble patriot not withstanding his knowledge and meticulous execution of assignments given to him,” he said.
Dr Sibanda laid a wreath on Mr Jowa’s grave on behalf of President Mnangagwa, and the two Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi before laying his own wreath.
Cde Chinamasa said Mr Zowa was very instrumental in advising him to dealing with the SADC tribunal which was formed after Zimbabwe’s land reform leading to the body’s demise.
“I always sought his advice even when I was no longer Minister of Justice and was with the Finance and Economic Development Ministry and with his assistance set up a legal department in the Ministry of Finance.”
Chief Justice Malaba said the Zowa family brought up a hero, leader with values and a lawyer of repute.
“He was a man of a noble profession that has rules, values, a profession by which we have standards.
“The lesson we derive from this man is that never occupy a public office for selfish reasons if you do so, you are definitely going to be corrupted. Occupy a public office for public interests. Think institutionally,” he said.
Mr Zowa’s widow, Gladys Tendayi said her husband was a provider who took upon himself to provide for the whole family.
“He never discriminated and was an embracer. He was a selfless man and he related well with all people from different backgrounds,” she said.
Online Reporter