Staff Reporter

President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday sent a message of condolence to the Chimonyo family following the death of the Zimbabwe National Army Commander, Lieutenant-General Edzai Absalom Chimonyo who passed on Thursday morning after a long battle with cancer.

In his condolence message President Mnangagwa said the country had lost a rare cadre, a veteran freedom fighter and an exceptional commander.

“A veteran freedom fighter, commander and diplomat, Lt gen Chimonyo was a decorated career soldier who was moulded in the heat of our protracted liberation struggle which he joined from school to become a veteran freedom fighter from a tender age.

”After absconding from the then Rhodesia, the late Lieutenant General Chimonyo would train in the art of war in our bases both in Mozambique and Tanzania where he stood out as a tough and brave freedom fighter , and later a key instructor. During the struggle , he was instrumental in opening many war fronts in the Rhodesia, thus ensuring the embattled Ian Smith Regime suffered countless reverses which would eventually soften it for talks that yielded our independence in 1980,” read part of the condolence message.

President Mnangagwa said at Independence Lieutenant-General Chimonyo played a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the delicate integration process which united the warring armies of Rhodesia and the Patriotic Front forces.

The President noted that in his various positions of command, Lieutenant-General Chimonyo led units of Zimbabwean forces in Mozambique, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo when the Zimbabwe Defence Forces were called upon to stabilise troubled situations.
President Mnangagwa said the advent of the second republic saw Lieutenant-General Chimonyo being elevated to the position of Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army, an appointment and trust which he vindicated through absolute loyalty and dedicated commitment to duty and his country.

Lt-Gen Chimonyo has held a number of appointments between 1980 and 2008 in various brigades, Army and Defence Headquarters before his transfer to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he was appointed ambassador to Tanzania until December 2017.

The late Lt Gen Chimonyo assumed his current position on December 18, 2017 when he took over from General Philip Valerio Sibanda, who was promoted to be the Commander Defence Forces.