Heartfelt appreciation from the Chiwaya Family
Delayed gratitude is ingratitude, they say.
On behalf of the Chiwaya family, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation for all the support and messages of strength and comfort we received in the aftermath of the death of my slain brother, Lavender Chiwaya. Tough times are the yardstick to measure who you have and who has you. Indeed, this was exhibited on the 26th of August when my murdered brother was given a fond farewell by scores of community members in Karoi.
Notably, neither fears of the current pandemic nor the lurking cloud of state intimidation and brutality could deter dedicated and fearless citizens from bidding farewell to their hero in Chikangwe. Zimbabweans from Hurungwe district and beyond came in droves and paid a befitting tribute to their beloved Councilor and gallant son of the soil. We remember Lavender as a loving brother, father to his young family and an upright man who had committed his life to serving the community and his motherland, Zimbabwe.
This could have been an even more tough cross to bear had we not received support from our neighbours, with whom we discovered Lavender’s lifeless body, and the most humanely members of his political home, the MDC Alliance. Special mention firstly therefore goes to all our neighbors who stood in comforting the family, particularly the surviving wife and kids. I would be ungrateful to forget my brother, Shepherd Yudah who assisted with sourcing extra financial aid to help cover the funeral costs.
I was really touched to see people owning our family loss as theirs. Indeed, true love and Ubuntu does still exist.
Many other contributions also came from friends and relatives far and beyond. I would also like to extend my gratitude to my former school mates, members of the Dandawa High School Students Association, who went out of their way to gather additional financial resources as well as ensure they attended my brother’s final send off.
I am still in awe of the humility and servant spirit that was displayed by executives of the MDC Alliance. Some are lawyers who could rush out of court to answer my calls! Some were accommodating enough to liaise with us even through odd hours of the day. I have come to appreciate them more after this experience. Those people are true heroes and heroines. It is not easy to live knowing that you are fighting a brutal regime, which will go all lengths to crush and silence descent.
On the ground we had Ms Usayi, Mr Chigumo, Organisor Chibaya, Honourable Chidhakwa and many more who committed to making sure that their fellow fighter had been smoothly laid to rest. Advocate Nelson Chamisa, Advocate Fadzai Mahere, Maureen Kademaunga, Senator David Coltart, Douglas Coltart, Hon Job Wiwa Sikhala (even in detention), MDC Alliance Mash West and Hurungwe District, MDC Alliance Diaspora community, I take my hat off for you. May this love and solidarity you showed towards my brother and our family endure forever within the party of excellence.
The struggle for a better Zimbabwe must continue until the settlement of our own liking emerges. No abductions, killings, arbitrary arrests and intimidation can stop the tide of revolution from turning. A peaceful and prosperous and better Zimbabwe is possible in our lifetime.
As a family, we are gutted by the horrendous murder of one of our own but God will give us peace. We have so many unanswered questions but we believe there is God in heaven who answers prayers. Jeremiah 33:3 and Psalms 50:15 speak to this effect. The God of Daniel reveals the secrets and our prayers will be answered. If Lavender’s death really escaped pathological assessment, it will not escape divine assessment.
Thank you Pastors , Apostles ,Bishops and Prophets for praying for us. Thank you comrades and friends for your support. May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Rest in peace Lavender Chiwaya!
Deeply saddened,
Tonderai Chiwaya.