The Sunday Mail
Emmanuel Kafe and Rutendo Rori
ZANU PF national spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya-Moyo has said the ruling party is shattered over the deaths of Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Architect Joel Biggie Matiza and former Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service Commissioner Major-General (RETD) Paradzai Zimondi, who both succumbed to Covid-19.
Architect Matiza and Major-Gen (RETD) Zimondi, as well as liberation war hero Cde Aneas Chigwedere hailed from Mashonaland East and Zanu PF leaders from the province lamented the loss of the cadres.
In a statement yesterday, Ambassador Khaya-Moyo said the death of the three comrades had left the nation and the party in dismay.
“Cde Matiza was a disciplined cadre of the revolution and a man of undoubted intellect, humble and focused in the discharge of his duties. His shoulders were indeed on the deck as he marshalled his troops in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development in furtherance of ideas of Vision 2030,” he said.
Ambassador Moyo said the party has been left poorer by the demise of Major-General (RETD) Zimondi.
Major-Gen Zimondi
“He was an astute thinker and polished leader who led from the front, he shall indeed be solely missed by his family, the party and the nation at large”
He also paid tribute to former Minister of Education and Mashonaland East Governor Cde Chigwedere.
“Death has robbed the party of a man of purpose, who was principled, imbued with wisdom and indeed endowed with foresight,” he said.
Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Senator Aplonia Munzverengwi said the province had received the news of Cde Matiza’s death with sorrow.
Cde Matiza was also the legislator for Murehwa South.
“I am devastated as the Minister of State for the province. On my behalf and on behalf of the province, the nation at large, I want to pay my condolences to the President, His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa and to the Matiza family.
“We have lost a leader and a team player. I was like a sister to him, I would call him for advice anytime and he was there for me. To the Matiza family, I am short of words. I cannot express myself. The pain is just unbearable,” said Senator Munzverengwi.
Uzumba legislator Cde Simbaneuta Mudarikwa said Major General (RETD) Zimondi, whose rural home is in the Constituency, was heavily involved in community projects.
“Despite his busy schedule when he was Commissioner-General, he would spare his time to come to the Constituency and spend time with the youth and educate them on the values of the liberation.
“He was such a humble man, who embraced everyone. He was directly involved in many projects such as the construction of schools and he is one of the reasons why this Constituency is the only one in the country where every primary school has a corresponding secondary school.”
