Staff Reporter

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has conferred the late Brigadier General Charles Kaneta, who collapsed and died on Saturday 10 September 2022 at his farm in Nyanga, with a National Hero’s status.

Brigadier General Kaneta was pronounced dead on arrival at Hauna District Hospital at noon. He was 64.

In a condolence message to the Kaneta family, President Mnangagwa expressed shock in the sudden and untimely death of the late National Hero whose nom de guerre was Santana Tongai. The President also stated that the late National Hero was a tough and brilliant military instructor, and through his hands passed many cadres namely late National Hero Herbert Ushewokunze, the late Crispen Mandizvidza and Dr Sidney Sekeramayi.

“The passing on of Brigadier General Kaneta whose Chimurenga name was Santana Tongai, is a great loss to our Nation, and to our Defence Forces whose crop of wartime field commanders is gradually being whittled down. The late Brigadier General joined the liberation struggle in 1975 in Mozambique at a very tender age. A graduate of the Nanjing Military Academy in China, as well as a beneficiary of specialized military training in Syria, Cde Kaneta’s contribution to the liberation struggle stands out in our annals of liberation history. He was a tough and brilliant military instructor through whose hands passed many cadres, including senior party officials such as the late National Hero Cde Herbert Ushewokunze, late Cde Crispen Mandizvidza and Dr Sidney Sekeramayi,” said the president.

Meanwhile mourners are gathered at number 7 Married Quarters, Cranbourne West, Harare