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Moleen Machingura Harare Bureau
MDC-T is sliding into extinction as cracks continue to widen in the faction-riddled party which is embroiled in a bitter leadership wrangle, Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander, Air Marshal Perence Shiri said yesterday.
Speaking at the burial of Wing Commander Tongayi Brian Muchenje who was declared a provincial war hero, Air Marshal Shiri told mourners at Harare Provincial Heroes Acre at Warren Hills cemetery that Zanu-PF’s resounding victory during the July 31 harmonised elections last year had left MDC-T in disarray.
“Tinofara nekukutenda Wing Commander Muchenje nebasa guru rawakaita. Zvino zvawaenda kudai wonoudza Mbuya Nehanda naSekuru Kaguvi kuti kuno tavakuzvitonga zvizere. Ivhu redu takatora. (We are happy and grateful to you Wing Commander Muchenje for the great work you did. Now that you are gone, tell Mbuya Nehanda and Sekuru Kaguvi that we are now fully independent. We have reclaimed our land.)
“Zvimbwasungata zvakavhiringwa pamaelections (Puppets were confused by the elections and now they are in disarray. They are now following the path of (late Unita leader Jonas) Savimbi,” he said.
Wing Commander Muchenje who was assigned to Zimbabwe Defence Forces Headquarters as Staff Officer One (Foreign Services) died last Friday when the car he was driving rammed into a tree along Joshua Nkomo Road (Airport Road) in Harare.
He was 44.
A funeral parade in his honour was held at Manyame Air Base before he was laid to rest at Warren Hills.
Air Marshal Shiri described Wing Commander Muchenje as a brave, dedicated and hardworking soldier who deserved the provincial war hero status.
“Although he was not able to go to the liberation struggle because of his age, we are grateful that Zimbabwe has recognised his contribution to our ongoing struggle against its detractors and their puppets. Thus the conferment of provincial war hero’s status on him is a befitting send-off,” he said.
Muchenje, he said, was one of the few dedicated and brave pilots who contributed immensely during the fight against Renamo bandits who wanted to strangle Zimbabwe’s lifeline to the port cities of Beira and Maputo in Mozambique.
“When Operation Sovereign Legitimacy in the Democratic Republic of Congo was underway, the late Wing Commander was very instrumental in its success due to his courageous and brave exploits into
enemy territory which ensured that the rebels were swiftly repulsed,” the AFZ Commander said.
“During the hyperinflationary period, while most of the pilots left for greener pastures the late Wing Commander Tongayi Brian Muchenje was one of the few heroes that stayed behind to ensure that the Air Force of Zimbabwe’s operation capabilities remained steadfast.”
He said Muchenje in conjuction with the Parks and Wildlife Authority was also heavily involved in the anti-poaching campaign that was threatening to decimate Zimbabwe’s national heritage.
“He was indeed a versatile pilot who alternated among operational, training and VVIP duties making him one of the few experienced pilots to fly the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces Cde Mugabe,” Air Marshal Shiri said.
Wing Comm Muchenje was born in 1969 in Harare.
He attended his primary school at Chipindura Primary School in Bindura and did his ‘O’ levels at Makumbi Secondary School and ‘A’ levels at Gokomere Secondary School in Masvingo.
Wing Comm Muchenje was attested into the AFZ on November 6, 1989 as an officer cadet and rose through the ranks to become Wing Commander in 2010, a rank he held until the time of his death.
During his military career, he did various courses among them officer cadet course in 1989, basic flying course in 1991, flying instructors course in 2003, aircrew survival training course, helicopter instructors course in 2004 and joint command and staff course in 2008.
Wing Comm Muchenje held several appointments among them base intelligence officer at Manyame Airbase in 2000, staff officer 2 air intelligence in 2002 at Air HQ, acting officer commanding flying wing Manyame Airbase in 2009 and staff officer one foreign services at Zimbabwe Defence Forces Headquarters, the post he held until his death.
In recognition of his exemplary service, he was awarded medals among them Independence Medal, Ten Years’ Service Medal, Mozambique Campaign Medal, DRC Campaign Medal and the Long and Exemplary Service Medal.
Online Reporter