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Herald Reporter
Zimbabwe’s Defence attaché to Ethiopia Colonel Kutandakwenkosi Donga who died last Thursday has been declared a provincial hero. Col Donga, the first woman to be appointed a defence attaché in the ZDF, died in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 8 from a suspected heart attack. She was 56. Her body arrived in Zimbabwe yesterday and will be flown to Bulawayo today for burial on Sunday.

Addressing mourners in Harare, Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantine Chiwenga said a military parade would be undertaken by the Commander Zimbabwe National Army Lieutenant General Phillip Valerio Sibanda.

“The Government and the ruling party have seen it befitting to award this gallant daughter of Zimbabwe a provincial hero’s status and we shall proceed to lay her to rest in Bulawayo on Sunday,” he said.

Gen Chiwenga said he was shocked by the sudden death of Col Donga.

“It surprised everyone and it shocked everyone,” he said.

“It pained everyone because death is not something which is easily acceptable and something which we are not used to, but we know that once we are born we shall die.”

Gen Chiwenga described Col Donga as a hardworking officer who dedicated most of her time to her duties and had done both the country and the ZDF proud.

“She worked tirelessly for the army,” he said. “Failure was not an option to her.

“I have never and I never received a report that Mamana (her nickname) had misbehaved or that she was not working with others well. She was a very loving and caring person.”

ZDF Chaplain General, Colonel Joseph Nyakudya, who was part of the delegation that went to Ethiopia, said she fell and died while in her bathroom after work.

Her body was found the following morning lying in the bathroom by her colleagues after they had gone to pick her up for work.

A funeral parade will be held at Imbizo Barracks in Bulawayo on Saturday.

Mourners were last night gathered at No 6 Canford Avenue, Cotswold Hills, Mabelreign, Harare.

Col Donga was born on September 2, 1959 in Bulilimamangwe District under chief Mpini in Dombodema Village and is survived by her husband Kingston, two children — Takunda and Sakile, daughter-in-law Tsitsi and a grandchild Takunda Junior.