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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter

President Mnangagwa has accorded State-assisted funeral to Anglican Bishop Jonathan Siyachitema and leader of the United African National Council, Mr Nesbert Mutengezanwa, who died yesterday.

The President said he had been saddened by the passing on of the two.

“I received with deep grief news of the passing on of two of our elders, one an outstanding church bishop, another a political leader and member of the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD),” he said.

“We have lost Bishop Jonathan Siyachitema of the Anglican Church, and Mr Nesbert Mutengezanwa, leader of the United African National Council (UANC). Outstanding in their individual rights, the two men gave counsel to us as leaders, to communities they served, and at a personal level, to their respective families. Sadly, all that wisdom is now gone, and our nation is all the poorer for it.”

The President extended his condolences to their families.

“On behalf of the ruling party, Zanu PF, Government, and indeed on my behalf, I wish to express my most sincere condolences, foremost to the families of the dear departed, and then to the respective institutions they led, namely, the Anglican Church Community and the UANC political party, on these their saddest losses. They are our losses together.

“In the light of their outstanding contributions to our society, I have seen it fit and proper that they be granted a State assisted funeral. May their dear souls rest in eternal peace,” President Mnangagwa said.

Bishop Siyachitema was husband to the late former Consumer Council of Zimbabwe director, Mrs Rosemary Siyachitema.

Bishop Siyachitema was born in 1932 and educated at Sarum College.

He was ordained in 1971 and began his career in Bulawayo.

Later, he was the Archdeacon of Matabeleland from 1974 to 1978, Dean of Bulawayo from 1978 to 1981 and then Bishop of Harare from 1995 to 1997.