Rtd Colonel Chitambo dies

ONE of the country’s senior freedom fighters and senior army officer, Retired Colonel Kenneth Chitambo has died.

He was 67.

Rtd Col Chitambo whose pseudo name was Cde Khwela Dliwayo died on Monday evening at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo while waiting to be operated on for a spinal problem that he developed at the beginning of the year. His wife Mrs Chipo Chitambo said the family has lost a caring father.

“He was doing some gardening outside and he came back saying he had pain on his side and we nursed him and assumed he would be better. The pain intensified and he visited the hospital where upon his return he could not get all the medication as it required foreign currency,” she said.

Mrs Chitambo said her husband was later admitted to the Premier Hospital in Hillside where he was found to have a mass on the back of his neck which had affected his nervous system as he could no longer walk.

“Upon depletion of his medical aid funds he was moved to Mpilo Central Hospital where he died on Monday evening before he could undergo an operation to correct the damage that had been caused to his spinal cord because of the mass behind his neck,” she said.

Rtd Colonel Chitambo was born on 10 April 1951 in Chitambo Village in Mutasa, Manicaland Province.

He attended school at St George’s Primary in Manicaland where he did his Sub-A up to Standard Three. After Standard Three he moved to Bulawayo in 1963 where he continued with his education.

Rtd Col Chitambo continued with his education at St Columbu’s in Makokoba which was a primary school then and later moved to Mgandane Secondary School now Mzilikazi High School for his secondary education.

He joined the armed struggle in 1973 in Zambia after vanishing with a neighbour who they shared a common cause of freeing the country from the rebel Ian Smith regime.

Rtd Col Chitambo received his military training at Morogoro in Tanzania and his group of recruits was made up of dedicated youngsters who were later on to form the core of Zipra commanders and distinguished themselves on the battlefield. His peers included Gilbert Khumalo, Todd Mpisi, Tizzy, Phinda, Mhandu (Sekuru) Magwaza and Gadaffi.

As a result of his outstanding performance Rtd Col Chitambo was seconded to undergo further training in the then Soviet Union. On his return he was deployed to the commissariat department and worked in many Zipra camps in Zambia.

Showing unflinching commitment to the armed struggle, Rtd Col Chitambo rose through the ranks to become a member of the Zipra High Command deputising the late Retired Colonel Richard Dube who was the Political Commissar.

After independence Rtd Col Chitambo was attested into the Zimbabwe National Army and later on he trained to be a mechanic in Mutare.

He later worked at Imbizo Barracks (now Lookout Masuku Barracks) as manager of the workshops before moving to Masasa Base in Harare.

When the Government launched its food programme, Operation Maguta, Rtd Col Chitambo was deployed to Matabeleland South as its leader covering areas such as Maphisa and Plumtree. He retired from the army in 2012.

Rtd Col Chitambo is survived by his wife Chipo and four children. Mourners are gathered at his residence Number 4 Conrad Avenue in Sunnyside in Bulawayo. Burial arrangements will be announced in due course.

See also Page 9