The commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence forces, His Excellency President Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has presided over the buri@l of the late Cde Tinaye Elisha Nzirasha Chugudu at the National Heros Acre.
Cde Chugudu p@ssed away on 5 February 2025, at his home in Harare, after a long battle with cancer at the age of 82.
Speaking during at the National Heros Arce, President Mnangagwa described the late national hero as one of the brave sons of the soil who took a stand and fought for Zimbabwe’s independence.
“Our late National Hero, Cde Chigudu, was among many brave, selfless sons &daughters of the soil who took a stand and fought for our Independence. He is honoured as one of the first combatants to be sent for training in North Korea under the ZIPRA, the military wing of ZAPU.
“During that period, he undertook ‘risky and critical mission tasks’ which helped to gather information regarding the modus operandi of the racist Rhodesian
forces,” Mnangagwa said.
After the attainment of independence in 1980, the late National Hero, Cde Chigudu, joined the Government as an Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Transport. Due to his hard work ethic &dedication to national service, he was promoted to Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs before his elevation to the position of Permanent Secretary in the same Ministry.
Cde Chigudu also served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Mines, thereafter as Governor for Manicaland Province.
The late cde Chigudu was survived by his wife, Mrs Esther Chigudu and seven children.
