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Herald Reporter
National hero Brigadier-General Emilio Emias Munemo, who died on Sunday, has left a void difficult to fill and his death has saddened all peace-loving Zimbabweans, Commander Zimbabwe National Army Lieutenant-General Edzai Chimonyo has said.

Brig-Gen Munemo will be buried tomorrow at the National Heroes Acre.

Speaking at a funeral parade held for Brig-Gen Munemo at Charles Gumbo  Barracks in Harare yesterday, Lt-Gen Chimonyo chronicled the national hero’s history and regretted his untimely passing on.

“It was indeed shocking and quite disheartening to learn of the untimely passing on of a dedicated and loyal General Officer,” he said.

“On behalf of the Zimbabwe National Army, General Officers, Senior Officers, men and women of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces in general and my own behalf, I would like to pay my deep condolences to the bereaved family and relatives of the late Brigadier-General Emilio Emias Munemo.

“His untimely death is very saddening and painful, not only to you, but all peace loving Zimbabweans.”

Lt-Gen Chimonyo said the national hero served in various capacities during his illustrious career.

“The Zimbabwe Defence Forces at large have lost a liberator, trusted and hardworking cadre who will be difficult to replace. The late Brig-Gen Emilio Emias Munemo whose pseudo name was Cde Revolution Tichatonga was born on November 25, 1955 in Chivi district in Masvingo province as a last born in a family of five,” said Lt-Gen Chimonyo.

“In early 1977, he together with other cadres, crossed the border into Mozambique for the liberation struggle through the Gonarezhou-Mapai-Barragem-Xai Xai route. His arrival at Xai Xai coincided with the arrival of refugees from Chiredzi who were fleeing from the Rhodesian security forces terror.

“A significant number of these refugees were children of school-going age. It was at that juncture that the party decided to open a special school for these children who were mainly of the Shangani tribe in recognition of the fact that they were the most disadvantaged ethnic group in terms of education in the then Rhodesia. The task of opening this school was given to the late Brig-Gen Munemo.”

In 1979, Lt-Gen Chimonyo said, Brig-Gen Munemo did his basic military training at Tembwe Training Camp in Tete province after which he was deployed in Gaza province in October of the same year.

In 1980, he was attested into the Zimbabwe National Army as a private soldier appointed to officer status equivalent to the rank of lieutenant-colonel.

Brig-Gen Munemo later served in various capacities and rose through the ranks until he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General.

Today, the body of Brig-Gen Munemo will be flown to his rural home in Chivi for a farewell before returning to Harare later in the day.