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Herald Reporter

The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) has expressed sadness at the death of liberation war fighter and decorated senior officer Colonel Panganai Kahuni in Gweru on Sunday.

In a statement last night, ZNA director public relations Colonel Alphios Makotore said Colonel Kahuni, who was aged 61, had since been declared a liberation war hero and was set to be buried at the Midlands Provincial Heroes Acre today.

Known by the Chimurenga name “Lion Chadzonga”, Col Kahuni was born on April 11, 1960, in Murehwa.

He attended Manyika Primary School from 1966 to 1972 before proceeding to Uzumba  Secondary School.

He joined the liberation struggle in December 1976 when he crossed the border into Mozambique where he received initial military training at Chimoio. After training, he was deployed to the front where he was part of group that launched a successful attack on Ruda Camp in Honde Valley.

He was later deployed to Zimunya area in Manicaland where he operated for a few months before proceeding to Nachingweya in Tanzania for regular military training in 1977.

“While in Tanzania, he was selected to do a leadership and instructors course in 1978 after which he was appointed an instructor for the training of the Sasa Maliza group, which was the largest group to be trained as a Zanla special force for deployment,” said ZNA.

He was later deployed to Manica Province where he operated until ceasefire when he moved to Dzapasi Assembly Point in Buhera.

Col Kahuni was attested in to the ZNA as a private in 1980 and was selected to undergo cadet training at the Zimbabwe Military Academy in 1981. Upon completion, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and he received the Commander Zimbabwe National Army Award for the best academic student.

During his long and illustrious career, the late senior officer attended and passed several military courses, among them the Platoon Commander’s course at the Zimbabwe Military Academy in 1993.