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By Elvis Dumba
Mutorashanga – Environmentalists and the Zvimba community have been plunged into mourning Chief Chidziva as news of his death filtered through.
92-year-old Chief Chidziva born Johannes Jenami was one of the three paramount chiefs in Zvimba.
Chief Chidziva who was an advocate for stiffer penalties on perpetrators of environmental crimes such as illegal sand extraction and river bed cultivation in his area of jurisdiction also encouraged farmers to tame veld fire incidents in Zvimba North.
Chief Chidziva has been sick for a long time with him being represented by Gibson Jenami and Chief Katizagomo in recent various meetings.
He was part of the Chiefs from the Zvimba and Gushungo clans who were part of the team at State House to discuss former President Robert Mugabe’s burial place with the chiefs preferring National Heroes Acre before Mugabe family finally settled for former President’s Zvimba rural home where he was finally interred.
ZANU PF Zvimba District Coordinating Committee Chairperson, Bywell Mbiri said he was shocked by the news.
” I know the chief was not feeling well for some time but it’s a shock to hear about his death as he was a fountain of wisdom for our party and the community as a whole,” he said.
Eunice Tagarika, founder of Trees for Medicines Foundation said the war on the environment has received a huge setback.
“He was a principled man who was very clear on environmental issues. One could hear his passion when he would talk on veld fires, and illegal mining and he was instrumental to see that big mines in the community invest in environmental protection issues,” she said.
Gibson Jenami who is Chief Katizagomo said they have lost a source of wisdom in Chief Chidziva.
“As Zvimba and the Gushungo family, we have lost a fountain of wisdom as he was a great counsellor and father,” he said.
Zvimba North Constituency legislator and Local Government Deputy Minister Hon Marian Chombo said the Zvimba people and Zimbabwe as a whole have lost a great guardian of culture.
“He was a straightforward person and advisor on issues to do with tradition. He was particularly concerned about environmental issues and without him, we are poorer as a nation,” she said.
Meanwhile, Chief Chidziva’s death reportedly on Thursday morning has stirred debate on the eroding traditional rites concerning the announcement of a chief’s death.
“We are surprised that you guys want to announce the death of a chief minutes after his death. This is against our traditions where a special announcement will be done usually after some rites have been performed and in most instances, his burial would have taken place before the public is informed,” Agrippa Saidi, a traditionalist said.