Condolences pour in for hero

NATIONAL hero and Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri was a loving and strict father who prepared his children for all eventualities.

Cde Shiri succumbed to Covid-19 on Wednesday.

In an interview at his Borrowdale home, Cde Shiri’s daughter Tatenda, said he treated his children the same regardless of gender, and believed his children should work hard to provide for themselves even in the event he was no longer around.

“Our father loved us, but he did not want to spoil us. He always stressed to us that he was being strict and firm to prepare us for tomorrow. He used to say ‘I am hardening for tomorrow’s eventualities when I will not be there’,” she said.

Tatenda said despite being children of a significant figure they were not exposed to the public.

“I guess many people thought he did not have children. He protected us. He did not want us to be everywhere. He taught us to work and provide for ourselves rather than giving us things on a silver platter.

“Even now when he is no longer with us, we can sustain ourselves. He was a straightforward man. People may say many things about him since he was a politician, but my father contributed a lot to the liberation of the country and even continued to work for the nation post-independence.

“He was a pillar of our strength. He was a straight forward who did not want his children to take advantage of his position,” she said.

Tatenda’s sentiments were echoed by her uncle, Mr Nemrod Chikara who said the national hero was a pillar of strength.

“We have lost an icon as a family. We are heartbroken as his death came as a surprise to us. Because of his contribution to both the family and the nation, we would have loved to give him a befitting send-off but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we will follow the World Health Organisation guidelines.

“We are grateful to Government for according him the national hero status and he deserved that honour,” said Mr Chikara.

Meanwhile, messages of condolences have continued to pour as people from different walks of life mourn the late national hero.

Outgoing Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) Commissioner-General Major-General Paradzai Zimondi (Retired), yesterday described Cde Shiri as a hands-on and practical person who was determined to produce results.

Maj-Gen Zimondi (Rtd) said Cde Shiri had a passion for farming and desired to have youths preserve the legacy of the liberation struggle.

He added that they trained together in Mgagao, Tanzania in 1974, and worked together during the liberation struggle, up to his death.

Their farms share the same boundary in Mashonaland Central Province and would spent most of their time together.

Besides, Maj-Gen Zimondi said Cde Shiri was a brother-in-law after his younger brother married a sister of the late national hero, thus making them close.

“He was a polished instructor during the liberation struggle where he trained liberation fighters. He was determined to produce an accomplished soldier. At the front, he would not deploy his troops to a war front while he remained behind.

“He would go together with them. He was a practical and hands-on person on whatever he did. He was fearless, he was young then, but versatile and conversant with war tactics,” said Maj-Gen Zimondi.

He said during Lancaster House negotiations, Cde Shiri raised the bar by intensifying aggression against Ian Smith’s soldiers to give nationalist leaders in London an upper hand.

“Otherwise the Lancaster House would not have been signed. Our leaders were negotiating from a position of strength,” he said.

After independence, Cde Shiri transformed the national Airforce into a force to reckon with, said Maj-Gen Zimondi. He added that Cde Shiri had a passion for agriculture and his appointment as Agriculture minister was befitting.

“He was hardworking. He started farming in 1992 when he bought a farm. Whenever he was not at work, he would be at his farm. He did not rely on reports from workers, but would be right on the ground at every stage of farming, from preparation, planting right up to harvesting. That was where his passion was,” said Maj-Gen Zimondi.

“His passion for agriculture was shown by his attire. He would be dressed for the occasion, overall and gumboots when he is interacting with farmers, never mind that he was their Minister.”

He implored young people to emulate Cde Shiri’s patriotism and humility.

Mashonaland Central Province, which Cde Shiri represented in the Senate, is still in shock following his death.

He was more than just a minister in the province, but a brother, helper, confidante and friend, who was passionate about the development of marginalised communities.

In fact, the people of Rushinga were awaiting his visit next week.

Bindura South MP, Cde Remigious Matangira, was at a loss for words.

“He was a brother to me. We grew up in the same area and went to school together. I didn’t know that he was not feeling well. I was only told about his death. I cannot talk at the moment,” he said.

Acting provincial development coordinator, Mr Cosmas Chiringa, described Cde Shiri as a humble and down-to-earth leader.

“This is a huge loss to the province both politically, socially and economically. I knew him pre and post-independence,” he said.

“I worked with him during the liberation struggle. He had a passion to see people he liberated have an improved livelihood. He had the marginalised communities at heart and initiated big projects to uplift their standards of living of people.

“In Mukumbura, he transformed pole and dagga schools; Murongwe Primary and Secondary, into state-of-the-art schools. He also built a clinic in that area.”

Cde Shiri also upgraded Chapoto Clinic in Kanyemba and built Mariga Secondary School.

Electrification of the area under the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) is underway in Kanyemba while in agriculture, he started several projects to boost and enhance productivity in the province. Dande, Bindura, Semwe and Coldstream Dams were some of his projects.

Mr Chiringa added that Cde Shiri promoted wheat, cotton and small grains production and there was an increase in the number of farmers interested small grains, which they had abandoned.

“An ordinary person could see his vision and where he was going,” said Mr Chiringa.

Rushinga Rural District Council chairman, Mr Spencer Chiwarange, said they were at a loss for words since most development projects in the area were taking off under the leadership of Cde Shiri.

He said since 2002 there was no electricity in most parts of Rushinga, with poles beginning to fall, but REA visited the area last week to start the project while the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) had initiated moves to bring telecommunications connectivity, all that happening under the instruction of Cde Shiri.

Mr Chiwarange said they have battled water challenges for years, but Cde Shiri facilitated the drilling of 19 boreholes and some were mechanised.

“He was hands-on in Rushinga and we could call him at any given time. He was spearheading demining of landmines. Now we don’t know what will become of us. “

Mt Darwin South MP, Stephen Kabozo, said Cde Shiri was humble and respectful and would advise him when approached.

Mr Munyaradzi Mafunga, patron of youths with disabilities said Cde Shiri had pledged to assist them start agriculture projects to sustain their livelihoods.

Pan African Chamber of Commerce board member, Mr Langton Mabhanga, said as business, they join President Mnangagwa, the Shiri family and the nation at large, in mourning an unparalleled, dedicated and passionate liberation hero, and an astute economic liberation proponent.

“He was an embodiment of hard work, rare humility and steadfast leadership. At the inception of the Second Republic, he led the nation in rolling out President Mnangagwa’s vision to re-imagine and re-design the productivity and agricultural systems of Zimbabwe in a definite quest to regain the bread basket status of Africa,” he said.

“The late minister’s views and resolve on national agriculture appealed to many especially young Zimbabweans and women, in the country and in the Diaspora.”

Federation of Young Farmers Clubs in Zimbabwe president, Mr Aaron Denenga, said the organisation’s members find solace in the teachings that were imparted by Cde Shiri.

“In the history of any country there are those who participate in defining its course and those that are either inspired or indifferent in the process.

“Air Chief Marshal (Rtd) Perrance Shiri was one such man who indeed went above and beyond to write the narrative of Zimbabwe on its own terms. It is with heavy despair that we have learnt of his untimely death,” he said, adding they were ready to continue with the journey and pace up the process of rebuilding Zimbabwe through agriculture excellence.

Coalition of Agriculture Graduates of Zimbabwe (CAGOZ) national chairperson, Mr Dickson Kubvakacha said Cde Shiri led by example and had ties with the global world in search of agriculture programmes and solutions to improve the sector.