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Herald Reporter

President Mnangagwa will today lead the memorial service for the late Zimbabwe National Army Commander, Lieutenant-General Edzai Absolom Chanyuka Chimonyo, who died of cancer in Harare on July 8, 2021, aged 69.

The service will be held at number 2 Binton Road, Greystone Park, Harare, starting at 9:30am.

“His Excellency Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, will officiate at the event,” said Colonel Alphios Makotore, the Director Army Public Relations, in a statement yesterday.

Lt-Gen Chimonyo participated in the liberation struggle and his nom de guerre during the war, which he joined in 1975, was Edzai Mabhunu. 

The late Zimbabwe National Army Commander, Lieutenant-General Edzai Absolom Chanyuka Chimonyo

He trained in both Mozambique and Tanzania and later became a key instructor. 

After the war, he joined the ZNA where he led army units to countries like Mozambique, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Lt-Gen Chimonyo served as Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Tanzania before his appointment as ZNA commander, in March 2018, at a ceremony held at One Commando Barracks in Barracks in Harare.

Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander General Philip Sibanda, officially handed over command of the ZNA to Commander Lt-General Chimonyo.

Reacting to Lt-Gen Chimonyo’s death, President Mnangagwa recalled when he met him during the liberation struggle.

“I met Edzai during the war in 1977 in Mozambique after I had completed my 10-year-jail term. So from that time till today, we have been working together. We have seen his works.

“In the army, he was one of the most hard-working persons. Sending him to a task, you would be well assured that it would  be done exactly as you would have said. He was a dependable person. 

“Now we are in the New Dispensation, we had to think of a person to replace General Sibanda as Commander Zimbabwe National Army. Due to his hard work, loyalty and dedication it was time to reward him. We looked at his sense of loyalty, commitment and dedication,” said President Mnangagwa.

Lt-Gen Chimonyo was declared a National Hero and interred at the National Heroes Acre in Harare.