Munacho Gwamanda- Zanu PF has conferred a national hero status to a former ZIPRA senior member and ex-governor of Manicaland Tinaye Chigudu.

Chigudu died in Harare on Wednesday.

On January 22, Acting President then Constantino Chiwenga presided over the burial of Major-General (Retired) Solomon Siziba, Cde Chenhamo “Chen” Chakezha Chimutengwende and Ambassador John Shumba Mvundura at the National Heroes Acre.

In the same week, Chiwenga returned to the national shrine and buried former top CIO boss Justin Mupamhanga.

Chigudu was born on August 13, 1942, and had his early education at Chigudu School, Cyrene Mission and Harare Secondary School.

He left the country in 1964 and went to Zambia under ZAPU.

He then trained guerilla warfare in the Democratic Republic of Korea as a ZIPRA cadre.

He was deployed to the country as an intelligence officer upon his return.

In May 1965, he was captured and detained in Gonakudzingwa, Gweru and finally Whawha.
He was in detention for 12 years and was released in 1977 and exiled.

He went to the UK and was enrolled at Exeter University, where he studied law between 1978 and 1981.

On coming home, he joined the civil service, first as Under Secretary (Legal Affairs) of the Ministry of Transport in 1981.

He was appointed Deputy Secretary for the Ministry of Home Affairs and then Permanent Secretary in the same Ministry from 1994 to 2004.

He later became Permanent Secretary for Mines and Mining Development from 2004 to 2005.

He was then appointed Governor and Resident Minister of Manicaland in 2005 and retired in 2008.

He is the former ZANU PF provincial chairman of Manicaland and worked as a senior consultant under the United Nations Development Programme to structure the Ministry of Interior for South Sudan.

At the time of his death, he was farming in Makoni District.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs Esther Chigudu and seven children.

Mourners are gathered at Number 9, Belsize Close, Northwood, Mount Pleasant in Harare.