Story by Peter Chivhima
FORMER Clerk of Parliament Mr Austin Zvoma has been described as a professional and principled civil servant whose contribution to the transformation of Parliament is immeasurable.
A church service was held at All Souls Anglican Church in Mt Pleasant, Harare, this Tuesday in honour of Mr Austin Zvoma who died at the Avenues Clinic on Saturday after a long illness.
The service was attended by senior government officials who saluted Mr Zvoma for his immense contribution to parliament business.
“Mr Zvoma was a principled and professional man who was ready to assist everyone. To me, he was a father figure, and he is the one who mentored me,” said Clerk of Parliament, Mr Kennedy Chokuda.
The church service was presided over by Reverend Father Barnabas Munzwindi of Anglican Dioceses of Harare who described the late Clerk of Parliament as a humble and dedicated servant of God.
Reverend Father Barnabas Munzwindi of the Anglican Dioceses of Harare described Mr Zvoma as a humble and committed believer.
“Despite the position he had at Parliament, he was so committed when it came to the issue of church. As a church, we are celebrating his life and I say May God bless his journey,” he said.
For the family, Mr Zvoma has left a huge void which will be difficult to fill.
“As a family, we are mourning but at the same time celebrating the life of my young brother. He was a man who was a family unifier who was ready to assist everyone in our family. We also want to thank the government for the state-assisted funeral accorded to my brother,” said the brother to the late Mr Zvoma, Mr Edwin Zvoma
“From here we are going to Zvoma village in Mhondoro and a church service will be held in honour of Mr Zvoma. Then burial will be done at Zvoma village this Wednesday,” said a family member, Mr Godwin Chigwedere.
Mr Zvoma was granted state state-assisted funeral for his valuable contribution to nation-building.
Born in 1949, Mr Zvoma was initially employed at Mazowe Boys High School where he taught English and met the late Friday Mbirimi and they played music in their spare time.
He later joined the then Customs and Excise Department, now ZIMRA, before landing a job at the Parliament of Zimbabwe as a Committee Clerk.
He rose through the ranks to become the Clerk of Parliament in 1989, a position he held until he retired in 2014.
Mr Zvoma will be buried in Mhondoro this Wednesday.
