Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
RETIRED Major General Godfrey Chanakira who died last Thursday at West End Hospital in Harare has been declared a national hero.
Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, announced Rtd Maj-Gen Chanakira’s national hero status yesterday as well as the heroic recognition of four other cadres.
“His Excellency the President Dr E.D. Mnangagwa has conferred national hero and provincial status to the following deceased. 1. The late Rtd Maj Gen Godfrey Chanakira whose Chimurenga name was Garikai Musavengana who had been granted a State-assisted funeral, has now been declared national hero after further consultations.
“Burial arrangements will be announced in due course,” said Dr Sibanda.
“Francis Komboni Gondo, whose Chimurenga name was Cde Elias Hondo has been declared a provincial hero, Cde Charles Savanhu whose Chimuranga name was Advance Chimurenga has been declared a provincial hero.”
Dr Sibanda said former Finance Minister and Zanu-PF Member for Mount Darwin East, Cde Christopher Kuruneri, who died at the weekend in South Africa has been also declared a provincial hero.
He said Chief Nhlamba of Gwanda who died on Saturday has similarly been granted State-assisted burial and Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga will represent the President at the burial.
“Chief Dennis Ndlovu Nhlamba of Garanyemba area in Gwanda who passed on at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) on Saturday has been granted a State-Assisted funeral.
Vice President Dr CGDN Chiwenga will represent the President at the funeral of the late Chief,” he said.
President Mnangagwa last Friday described Rtd Major Gen Chanakira as a humble, courageous and honest man who was dedicated to serving his country. At the time of his death, Rtd Maj Gen Chanakira was Permanent Secretary in the Office of Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga.
President Mnangagwa said Rtd Maj-Gen Chanakira has left behind an enviable history of supreme sacrifice and national commitment to serving his country and fellow Zimbabweans, which spans many decades starting from the time he joined the armed liberation struggle for freedom and independence in 1975.
He said at Independence Rtd Maj-Gen Chanakira joined the Zimbabwe National Army where he rose through the ranks from Private in 1980 to Major-General in 2017.
He left the ZNA in 2017 to join the civil service where he ended up as Permanent Secretary.–@nqotshili
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