The ManicaPost
Ray Bande in HONDE VALLEY
YOUTHS should strive to emulate the dedication and discipline shown by the living and departed liberators of the country like the late national hero Brigadier General Charles Kaneta, Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Cde Nokuthula Matsikenyeri has said.
Speaking during the thanksgiving memorial service for the late Brigadier General Kaneta held at his homestead in Gwiriri Village in Honde Valley under Mutasa District, Minister Matsikenyeri said its unfortunate that youths are now into drug abuse and all sorts of delinquency.
She urged young people to be humble and responsible.
“Brigadier General Kaneta’s time to leave earth came while he was a devoted Salvation Army follower. The question is when the time to leave the earth comes for most of our youths, what would they be doing. As we see it, that time will come while they are busy abusing drugs like Guka and Mutoriro. This is just unfortunate!
“I want to urge our youths of today to mend their ways and ensure they emulate the heroes of this great nation who liberated the country from the jaws of colonialism. Heroes like Brigadier General Kaneta gave us a good example through the humility and discipline they showed during their lifetime,” said Minister Matsikenyeri.
Commander Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) General Philip Valerio Sibanda, who was represented during the occasion by Chief of Staff General Paul Chima, consoled the bereaved family and urged them to protect the late military instructor’ legacy.
“To you Mrs Kaneta, we want to say the time of mourning has come to an end. We want you to stop crying now and accept that Charles, my friend, is no more. Yes, it was difficult to accept from the day he passed on, but we are saying we have a duty to ensure we protect and upgrade all that the late Kaneta built for us.
“To the children, I want to say I know you had different things that you used to burden your father with. Now that the father is no longer here, please, stop over burdening your mother. Learn to be responsible and start finding ways of ensuring that your departed father smiles from his grave,” he said.
Brig Gen Kaneta was born in 1958 in Hlabiso Village in Rusitu Valley under Chanimanimani district where he attained primary education at Hlabiso Primary and later at Biriiri High School.
He joined the liberation struggle in 1976 in Mozambique.
Brig Gen Kaneta received initial military training in Mozambique and later went through further training in China in 1977.
After getting injured during the battle of Grandriff in the war of liberation in 1977 in Mutare, he was taken to Mozambique for medical attention and later took up duties of training liberation war fighters, among other places, in Tembwe under Tete Province in northern Mozambique.
