Independent candidate for Gutu West Christopher Mutonhori Rwodzi (53), who died in a car accident last night, will be buried on Sunday at the family’s rural homestead at Aarons’ Village, formerly Mushaike Stores in Fairfields, Mvuma.
His older brother Aaron Chenjerai Rwodzi confirmed the arrangement to The Mirror. He said mourners are gathered at the homestead.
Mutonhori died after his vehicle a Toyota Prado Landcruiser VX, plunged 18 metres into a dry riverbed on the 10km peg at Honeyspot along the Harare Highway.
He was the husband of the Deputy Minister of the Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality industry, Barbra Rwodzi. The couple has three children, two boys and a girl.
Aaron said they suspect foul play in Mutonhori’s death as he was a disciplined driver who drove the same route at least four times a week.
“My brother will be buried at Aaron’s Village, formerly known as Mushaike Stores in Farefields on Sunday around midday. The accident is mysterious. He drove on that road at least four times a week. He was driving a Toyota Landcruiser along a rehabilitated road. I went to the accident scene last night but could not make sense of it.
“We have lost the family’s vanguard. The accident is unspeakable. We got the news when a Police officer answered his phone and told us that an accident had occurred. The vehicle fell on its roof and he was trapped inside,” said Aaron.
Mutonhori, a retired senior soldier, was contesting against Zanu-PF’s youth league deputy chairperson and incumbent legislature, John Paradza after he was disqualified before the party’s primary election.
He also had an altercation with party provincial chairperson Rabson Mavhenyengwa and secretary for commissariat Brian Munyoro on Wednesday last week at the nomination court after they ordered him to remove a sticker branded Independent 4ED on his vehicle.
Mutonhori was born in 1970 and attended Mvuma Primary School. He moved to Harare and finished his primary school at Highlands Junior School. He enrolled for his ordinary level at Prince Edward and completed it in 1988. He was attested into the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) in 1988 and retired in 1993. He held several posts in the army and retired as a colonel.
He joined the family’s business as a director and went to the United Kingdom (UK), where he did consultancy work. He returned to Zimbabwe and founded Mugandani Foods, which produces Silver Star products.
Mutonhori established a security consultancy firm, which he was the director of at the time of his death. Mutonhori was Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) director in Zimbabwe.