Farewell to Zimbabwe’s gallant son Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantine Chiwenga leads Zimbabwe National Army Commander Lieutenant-General Philip Valerio Sibanda, Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander Air Marshall Perrance Shiri and other service chiefs in paying their last respect to the late national hero Rtd Lt-Col Harold Chirenda at Stodart Hall in Mbare, Harare, yesterday. — (Picture by Justin Mutenda)
Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantine Chiwenga leads Zimbabwe National Army Commander Lieutenant-General Philip Valerio Sibanda, Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander Air Marshall Perrance Shiri and other service chiefs in  paying their last respect to the late national hero Rtd Lt-Col Harold Chirenda at Stodart Hall in Mbare, Harare, yesterday. — (Picture by Justin Mutenda)

Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantine Chiwenga leads Zimbabwe National Army Commander Lieutenant-General Philip Valerio Sibanda, Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander Air Marshall Perrance Shiri and other service chiefs in paying their last respect to the late national hero Rtd Lt-Col Harold Chirenda at Stodart Hall in Mbare, Harare, yesterday. — (Picture by Justin Mutenda)

Felex Share and Elita Chikwati
Thousands of people from all walks of life yesterday thronged the National Heroes Acre in Harare to bid farewell to national hero Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Harold Mtandwa Chirenda who died on New Years’ Day.
Rtd Lt-Col Chirenda (70), whose Chimurenga name was Elliot Masengo, died at United Bulawayo Hospitals after a long illness.
People described him as a dedicated cadre whose vision was to overthrow the racially-inspired inequalities  of the settler regime.

The funeral started early morning at the Stodart Hall in Mbare where thousands of people gathered to pay their last respects to the liberator and gallant son of the soil.

By 8am people had started gathering at the hall while others lined the streets of Mbare clad in Zanu-PF regalia saluting the hearse carrying Cde Chirenda’s body.

The two Mbare Chimurenga choir groups and Zanu-PF youths chanted and sang revolutionary slogans and Chimurenga musical groups also sang gospel tunes.

The popular song of the dancing groups was “Mangoma Simudza”.
Dignitaries who came at the hall early morning included Defence and Home Affairs acting Minister Sydney Sekeramayi, Zanu-PF national commissar Cde Webster Shamu and his wife Constance and Harare mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni.

The body arrived at Stodart Hall accompanied by close relatives at 9am and proceedings in the hall started when the Acting President, Joice Mujuru arrived at 10 am.

The service chiefs were present.
Cde Mujuru led the body viewing procession with ministers and other Government officials following suit.
The national hero’s family was the last to bid him farewell.

At the national shrine, youths clad in Zanu-PF regalia came in their numbers and joined church choirs and the police band to celebrate the life of the gallant freedom fighter.

Some of the youths waved placards with messages that praised Rtd Lt-Col Chirenda: “A brave and dedicated cadre”, “Farewell Patriot”, “Let us work together to make Zim Asset work” and “A new Zimbabwe A New Economy”.

Members of the apostolic sect and uniformed forces also attended the burial together with several diplomats.
The gun carriage carrying Cde Chirenda’s body arrived at the national shrine at around 11.15am  with Acting President Mujuru’s motorcade right behind.

The arrival of Cde Mujuru saw the crowd breaking into dance and song with some chanting “Mother Mother, Mother”.
Zanu-PF politburo member and former PF-Zapu secretary general and Midlands Governor Cde Cephas Msipa, described Cde Chirenda as a “rare breed of freedom fighter” whose contribution to the independence of the country was incomparable.

“He represented early freedom fighters who saw the need to liberate Zimbabwe and come to the conclusion that the only way to do that was through holding the gun,” he said.

“He decided to take up the call by the leadership of the party to sacrifice his life to bring freedom in the country. For that reason, we must continue to remember and give him the respect he deserves. We can never thank him enough.”

Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce Cde Chiratidzo Mabuwa, who was Chief of Staff in the ZIPRA High Command (women side), serving at the same time as Cde Chirenda, said the late national hero specialised in military training.

“That was military training in its entirety,” she said.
“He was in the planning department for both the air and ground force. As women, we could do what we were capable of considering the biological and physical built up but all of the things we did were strategised by Masengo.”

One of Cde Chirenda’s students at Morogoro Training Camp in Tanzania, Major Fidelis Rupondo, who is with the Zimbabwe National Army, said his instructor was a good and honest commander.

“He would make sure that we understood whatever he taught us before going into the battle field back home,” he said.
“He trained me for the whole of 1975 in various courses that I am proud of today. We have lost a true hero who was dedicated to the liberation and development of the country.”

Family representative Dr Jokonia Chirenda, said the gap left by his brother would be difficult to fill.
“He was a unifier in the family and I do not know what we will manage without him,” he said.

“He was a brother, father, and jovial friend to the extent that for the few occasions that I spent with him at the Zimbabwe National Army Headquarters I would look for him when about to go home. Everyone wanted to talk to him.”

Rtd Lt-Col Chirenda was born on August 1, 1944 in Harare and attended Shingirai Primary School in Mbare from 1950 to 1956. He then enrolled at Fletcher High School for his secondary education. He was one of the 90 pioneer freedom fighters from Zapu’s military wing, Zipra, who underwent training in Algeria from 1964 to 1965.

After training, he was deployed to Tanzania where he worked with other senior Zapu cadres who included the late national heroes Albert Nxele, Gen Lookout Masuku and Brig-Gen Ambrose Mutinhiri.

In 1966, Rtd Lt – Col Chirenda, late Zipra commander Gen Nikita Mangena, Cde Tapson Sibanda and Brig-Gen Mutinhiri, were deployed to Morogoro as instructors under Cde Nxele’s command.

There, he trained groups that had people like Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Obert Mpofu, the late Major-Gen Jevan Maseko, the late Gen Solomon Mujuru and Rtd Brig-Gen Abel Mazinyane.

At independence, Rtd Lt-Col Chirenda was attested into the ZNA and was instrumental in the integration of Zanla, Zipra and the Rhodesian Army.

In 1982 he was appointed to army headquarters and also held several positions such as chief instructor at the Zimbabwe Military Academy.

In 1983, he became the first ZDF chief delegate to the International Military Sports Council.
He successfully lobbied for admission of the ZDF into the world military sports body the same year in Lagos, Nigeria.

He was a founder member of Black Rhinos football club in 1983 when the team joined the Zimbabwe Football Association Division One before being promoted to the then Super League the following year.

Rtd Lt-Col Chirenda is survived by his wife, Florence, nine children and 18 grandchildren.

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