Story by Peter Chivhima
Colleagues and the family of Cde Tinaye Chigudu have described the late national hero as a principled and committed cadre as well as a family unifier.
After serving Zimbabwe with unwavering loyalty and dedication, Cde Chigudu was declared a national hero, with colleagues who attended his burial at the National Heroes’ Acre this Monday, concurring on his commitment to serve the nation.
The Deputy Minister of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs Cde Headman Moyo said, “We have a dedicated and loyal man. We trained together with Cde Chigudu, he was a straightforward man who was ready to see the development of our nation.”
“Cde Chigudu was a true revolutionary who was committed to the development of our nation. This is why he was accorded such a highest honour,” added Cde David Parerenyatwa.
The death of Cde Chigudu has left the Manicaland Province poorer.
“By the time I joined politics, Cde Chigudu was one of the seniors in the province, so I had the opportunity to tap into his wisdom. He was able to accommodate each and everyone in the province. We have indeed lost a good man,” Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said.
Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Jenfan Muswere added, “After the death of my father, he took me under his wings and guided me. He taught me a lot about politics, governance, and how best we can contribute as young people to the development of our country. He was also a constant reminder to all young politicians in terms of the history of our country, that as young people, we should always ensure that imperialism does not succeed in Zimbabwe, and that imperialism should always be defeated within the continent.”
To the Chigudu family, they have lost a unifier.
Family representative Mr Edga Chigudu said, “Our family grew larger because my brother Tinaye had a big heart, welcoming many people he met into our lives. At one point, our family of seven had four members incarcerated, but despite the challenges, Tinaye’s commitment to our nation and community remained unwavering. He leaves behind a beautiful legacy in our family, and we are grateful for his dedication. We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to Your Excellency for honouring my brother with national hero status.”
Cde Chigudu was a trailblazing liberation fighter, who trained in North Korea under ZIPRA, the ZAPU military wing.
As an intelligence operative in the then Salisbury, Cde Chigudu worked tirelessly to gather critical information, aiding the recruitment and training of fellow fighters.
This bravery attracted the wrath of the Rhodesian regime, leading to 12 years of imprisonment, but he rejoined the liberation struggle after his release.
In his illustrious political career, Cde Chigudu served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Governor for Manicaland Province, and ZANU PF Manicaland Provincial Chairperson.
