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Wallace Ruzvidzo
Herald Reporter
War veteran, diplomat and former Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) chief executive, Ambassador Thomas Mandigora, has been accorded a State-assisted funeral by President Mnangagwa.
This was announced by Acting President Constantino Chiwenga at the Mandigora family home in Harare yesterday.
The liberation hero and former Ambassador to Botswana succumbed to effects of a stroke he suffered last month at his home in Gletwyn, Harare on Saturday afternoon.
Announcing the developments at Ambassador Mandigora’s home, Acting President Chiwenga said the grant of the State-assisted funeral had been after deliberations with President Mnangagwa before his departure to Egypt.
“When I heard about the funeral I was not in the country I was in Geneva, Switzerland and I arrived today. We were talking with the President today before he left for Sharm el Sheihk when I arrived and we planned the way forward,” he said.
“All the funeral arrangements will be handled by the State and he will remain with his liberation hero status.
Chronicling their liberation struggle journey together, Acting President Chiwenga described Ambassador Mandigora as an astute and upright man who served his country diligently.
“I started knowing him in 1978, but before that we had met at the Commissariat department where I was, but in 1978 that is when we went together to Gaza and he was my personal secretary.
“We travelled a long road together and if you look at our documents from our time in the liberation struggle you will find his handwriting. Of all the people I had in my team Thomas’ handwriting was the one I liked the most,” he said.
Zanu PF Chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, who is also the Minister of Defence and War Veterans’ Affairs and Acting Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, said the late liberation hero was a dedicated and humble cadre.
“I knew him well because we worked together at Nyadzonia. He was a brave and disciplined cadre. He never wavered in his service. We learnt together with him about colonialism and the oppression we were subjected to by the colonial system at the school for ideology.”
Ambassador Mandigora’s son Tongai, expressed gratitude to the Government for the due recognition accorded to his father.
“I would like to thank the Acting President and the Government for the conferment of the State-assisted funeral you have assigned to my father.
“We would like to also thank you for the empathy and support that you have given us during this difficult time. On behalf of the Mandigora family we look forward to your continued support,” he said.
Zanu PF’s candidate for Harare East constituency in the forthcoming harmonised elections Cde Mavis Gumbo said the constituency had lost a dedicated son of the soil.
“It is sad that we have lost one of the liberation fighters who was well known and played a pivotal role in Mozambique. When he came back home from the struggle he continued to serve his country until his last breath,” she said.
Also present were Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade David Musabayana, Zanu PF Deputy Secretary for the Commissariat Cde Webster Shamu, Harare Provincial Affairs and Devolution Secretary Mr Tafadzwa Muguti and other Government officials.
Ambassador Mandigora served in Botswana for a lengthy term of 12 years from September 2005 to 2018 and was at one time the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.
He was involved in bilateral political dialogue and strengthening bilateral cooperation between Botswana and Zimbabwe.
Ambassador Mandigora left at a time when relations between the two countries had gone to a much higher level with the signing of the Bi-National Commission that was done at the SADC Council of Ministers and Summit in Windhoek, Namibia.
Ambassador Mandigora left Highfield in the then Salisbury, for Mozambique as a 21-year-old in 1975 crossing through Chief Tangwena’s area.
He underwent military training in Mozambique and was deployed to the front where he was injured prompting him to return to the rear where he worked in the Zanu publicity department with the likes of Ambassador Chris Mutsvangwa, Cde Shamu and Cde Munyaradzi Machacha among others.
He did a lot of diplomatic work for Zanu PF during the war, reporting to the chief representative of the party.
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