Prominent war veteran Chabvonga dies

Harare (New Ziana) – A prominent war veteran, and former high-ranking officer of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), Sign Chabvonga, has died.

Announcing his death in a statement, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Aaron Nhepera, said Chabvonga’s passing on was a huge loss as he was an ‘ex-combatant of note.’

He died a few days ago, but the cause or circumstances of his passing on were not given.

Using the disguise name of Allex Makwati during the independence war, Nhepera said Chabvonga was deployed to the Monomutapa Sector of the Zimunya area in 1976, where he distinguished himself as a brilliant, patriotic guerrilla fighter.

The two worked together during and after the war-the latter period at the CIO where both were senior officers.

“A down to earth, disciplined and hardworking officer, I had the pleasure of working with Cde Allex both during the war and after independence,” Nhepera said.

“Allex was a rare breed of a patriot,” he added.

At the CIO, Chabvonga was deputy director-external, and retired from the intelligence agency in 2018.
Nhepera, on the other hand, was deputy director general of the agency.

No funeral nor burial arrangements were given.

But it is expected that, given his prominent role in the war, and after independence, Chabvonga will be accorded hero status of one form.

Zimbabwe accords hero status at three levels – district, provincial and national – all mainly to those who played prominent roles in the war for independence.
New Ziana