OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT AND CABINET CONDOLENCE MESSAGE THE LATE MRS. A.A. KNUTH:
17TH MARCH, 1947 TO 5TH JULY, 2021
The Chief Secretary, Dr. Misheck J. M. Sibanda, Deputy Chief Secretaries, Heads of Departments, Chief Directors and Staff in the Office of the President and Cabinet join His Excellency the President, Cde. E. D. Mnangagwa, the entire Civil Service and the Knuth and Chakanetsa families in mourning the untimely passing on of Mrs. Anne Anastasia Knuth in the early hours of 5th July, 2021. It was with a deep sense of shock and disbelief that the Office received the sad news of her demise, which filtered through just as we were preparing to convene a meeting on the form of assistance that we could render to a retired colleague in her hour of need.
A career civil servant of impeccable work ethics and a high level of dependability, Mrs. Knuth served her country in various capacities, including initially at the ruling Party Headquarters. On the strong recommendation of the late Vice President Cde. Simon Vengai Muzenda, she joined the then Ministry of Information, Posts and Telecommunications and, years later, the Department of Protocol and State Occasions as Director. Her elevation to Principal Director State Occasions was in recognition of her performance and leadership qualities.
We are therefore mourning the loss of a dedicated professional who was at the centre of transformation in an endeavour to enhance the functions and capabilities of every Department that she served until retirement at the end of 2018. Without doubt, Mrs. Knuth was a mentor of exceptional candour, and the scores of colleagues she trained will sorely miss her exemplary professionalism.
A beneficiary of the Land Reform Programme, Mrs. Knuth devoted the final years of her life to farming, and befittingly bequeaths to her daughters and grandchildren the gift of hard and honest work. The void that her death has created among her erstwhile subordinates, colleagues, principals, associates and all who knew her will be difficult to fill. The fond memories of her indelible smile, honesty, inspirational energy and commitment to duty will endure in us all as we continue her programmes to serve the people diligently and uplift livelihoods under the National Development Strategy 1 and Vision 2030 as espoused by the Second Republic.
Our heartfelt condolences go to the children and grandchildren for losing a loving pillar of strength, and to the Knuth and Chakanetsa families for losing a unifier. May the Lord Almighty comfort them at this difficult moment as they prepare to bid farewell to a dearly loved one.
Once again, we say “Go well, Mai Knuth.” “Go well, dear colleague.”
“May Your Soul Rest in Eternal Peace.”