Hero Chaunoita burial today

NATIONAL hero Cde Ezekiel Chaunoita, who will be buried today at the National Heroes’ Acre, loved to see people going and doing well at school and always supported his children’s education endeavours, his family has noted.

Cde Chaunoita, a retired director in the President’s Department, died last Saturday after a long illness.

President Mnangagwa, who returned home last night from Kenya where he had joined other Heads of State at the African Fertiliser and Soil Health Summit, is expected to preside over the burial of the national hero.

Cde Chaunoita, who participated in the country’s liberation struggle in the 1970s and later served in Government after independence, was conferred with national hero status for his role in fronting the interests of Zimbabwe before and after independence.

Yesterday, his body was flown to Mubvumbi Village in Murehwa for family and friends to pay their last respects, and on return to Manyame Air Base in Harare, his family eulogised over a life well lived.

In separate interviews, Cde Chaunoita’s son Mr Phillip Chaunoita, and his nephew Mr Caiaphas Chaunoita spoke glowingly of the national hero’s love for education.

Phillip said some Apostolic sects’ members are synonymous with their dislike of sending their children to school, but his father was cut from a different cloth.

“My father is someone who liked his children to go to school and get educated. Some say members of Apostolic sects don’t send their children to school, but my father was different, he wanted everyone to go to school.

“My father was very helpful, he looked after many relatives, orphans, and everyone he loved,” said Phillip.

Cde Chaunoita’s love for education was corroborated by his nephew Mr Caiaphas Chaunoita.

“He was a unifier in the family and his wish was for everyone to be happy. He is someone who loved school, he liked everyone to go to school and he died while studying towards an accounting qualification, and he was a lawyer also.”

Cde Chaunoita’s young brother Mr Felix Chaunoita thanked President Mnangagwa and the Government for conferring national hero status on his brother.

“My brother was open, he loved everybody in the family regardless of how close the relationship was,” said Mr Chaunoita.

“He looked after the family and everyone who was in need in the family would always count on him. Yes, my brother is late now, but as a family we want to thank the Government and President Mnangagwa for giving him a national hero status,” said Mr Chaunoita.