Former legislator and veteran educationist, Zephaniah Matchaba-Hove, has died aged 85.
His eldest son and human rights defender, Reginald, said the former teacher and Mwenezi legislator died at a private hospital in Gweru on Sunday after a long battle with cancer of the liver. Matchaba-Hove is credited with producing some of the country’s leading educationists, among them Midlands State University founding vice-chancellor, Ngwabi Bhebe, National University of Science and Technology founding vice-chancellor, Phineas Makhurane and the late former Cabinet minister, Witness Mangwende.
Matchaba-Hove taught at several schools, among them Chegato Secondary School in Mberengwa, Chivi Secondary School in Chivi, Mucheke Secondary School in Masvingo, Ascot Secondary and Fletcher High schools in Gweru and Mabvuku High School in Harare. After independence, he was promoted to become chief education officer for curriculum development, Harare province, regional director for education and then deputy secretary for Education and Culture. He is survived by six children and several grandchildren.
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