By Political Reporter- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has ignored to console the Chaminuka family following the death of Brigadier-General (Rtd) Michael Chaminuka.
Brigadier Chaminuka was Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s Personal Assistant when he was still the Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, a position he left in November 2017 after leading a military coup against the late President Robert Mugabe.
Brigadier Chaminuka dies mysteriously on Saturday at the Trumma Centre in Harare.
He died at the age of 62.
Tuesday, Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander, General Philip Valerio Sibanda, visited the Chaminuka family and addressed them.
“This is what we do in the national army whenever we lose one of our own; we join the bereaved family to ease their pain.
“I know there are certain things you want to talk about, and you shall be given that time, but for now, we are ensuring that we bury our colleague with the respect and honour he deserves,” said General Sibanda.
Family spokesman and daughter to the war veteran, Dr Michelle Chaminuka, said Brig-Gen Chaminuka (Rtd) died at Trauma Centre in Harare at around 7pm on Saturday following a short illness.
Born on January 2, 1962, in Nkani Village under Chief Nematombo in Hurungwe, Mashonaland West Province, Brig-Gen (Rtd) Chaminuka attended Kapfunde Primary School in Hurungwe in 1969.
He proceeded to Columbus Secondary School in Honde Valley, Manicaland Province, for Form One and Two between 1975 and 1976.
Following the closure of the school by the Ian Smith regime, he moved to St John’s Chikwaka Secondary School to complete his Form Two and began Form Three in 1977.
Brig-Gen (Rtd) Chaminuka crossed the border into Mozambique with five others to join the liberation struggle in late 1977 and trained at Tembwe Base 2 in 1978.
He is survived by wife Dr Lillian Chaminuka and five children; two boys and three girls. Mourners are gathered at number 353 Valyonga Close in Glen Lorne, Harare.
Burial arrangements will be announced in due course.