The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) has expressed sadness at the death of Colonel Panganai Kahuni, a liberation warfighter who died in Gweru on Sunday.
He was aged 61.
In a statement last night, ZNA director public relations Colonel Alphios Makotore said Colonel Kahuni had since been declared a liberation war hero and was set to be buried at the Midlands Provincial Heroes Acre this Wednesday. Said ZNA:
While in Tanzania, he was selected to do a leadership and instructors course in 1978 after which he was appointed an instructor for the training of the Sasa Maliza group, which was the largest group to be trained as a Zanla special force for deployment.
Col Kahuni’s Chimurenga name was Lion Chadzonga.
He was born in Murehwa, attended Manyika Primary School from 1966 to 1972 before proceeding to Uzumba Secondary School.
He joined the liberation struggle in December 1976 when he crossed the border into Mozambique where he received initial military training at Chimoio.
After training, he was deployed to the front where he was part of the group that launched a successful attack on Ruda Camp in Honde Valley.
He was later deployed to the Zimunya area in Manicaland where he operated for a few months before proceeding to Nachingweya in Tanzania for regular military training in 1977.
He was later deployed to Manica Province where he operated until ceasefire when he moved to Dzapasi Assembly Point in Buhera.
More: The Herald