Chindori-Chininga: A Voice That Has Gone Quiet

By Clemence Manyukwe

The Ndebele say intaba yadilika (the mountain has fallen), while the Shona say gomo riya rakoromoka. 

That is how all those who yearn for transparency in the utilisation of the country’s mineral wealth felt upon hearing that Edward Chindori-Chininga had been silenced by the sting of death last Tuesday.

In March last year, he had cheated death in another accident which disturbed his nervous system and left him with blood in his chest as well as broken ribs.

After surviving that accident, Chindori-Chininga had expressed a personal wish to reach 98 years, God willing.

That accident shook him and he was later to describe it as the weakest point in his life. Nevertheless, he said he was thankful to God for giving him another chance in life to contribute to his country and also support his family.

Being one who was aspiring to hit 98, Chindori-Chininga has died too soon, having celebrated his 58th birthday in March.

Courageous and sharp portfolio committee chairpersons don’t come that often in Parliament. Chindori-Chininga belonged to that rare breed of illustrious backbenchers who included the likes of Welshman Ncube and the late Edison Zvobgo, who both headed the Parliamentary Legal Committee.

While the Mines Committee chairperson remained faithful and true to his calling, he nonetheless grappled with the weight of his duties and the burdens it placed on his shoulders.

After one Parliamentary sitting in 2011, the MP conveyed the following message to his wife: “I did the Shabani Mashava Mine (SMM) presentation in Parliament today. It was a painful responsibility against friends but a job had to be done.”

Edward Takaruza Chindori-Chininga was born on March 14, 1955 and hailed from Guruve where villagers called him by his ancestry identity — Nyamasvisva, Nhari Unendoro.

Married to a native of Tennessee, United States, with African heritage, Linda Lewis whom the deceased described as an amazing woman and mother, the couple had three daughters.

Chindori-Chininga was multilingual, speaking Shona, Bemba, Nyanja, English and French after having previously lived in Zambia, South Africa, France, Switzerland and the US.

From 1995 to 2000, he was environment and tourism deputy minister and from 2000 to 2004 he headed the mines ministry.

He also worked as an attaché at Zimbabwe’s embassies abroad including in New York, before leaving the diplomatic circle to venture into politics.

His grasp of French saw him at one point occupying the position of Alliance Française president.

This week, Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Senegal Trudy Stevenson said she knew Chindori-Chininga in the 1990s, adding that the late was keen to develop Zimbabwe’s links with France to dilute the British influence and diversify the country’s experiences and perspectives.

Stevenson said they met when she worked for French Research Centre CREDU & CIRAD which is said to have established its Mushumbi Pools agriculture and animal research base with the MP’s assistance.

“He was such a cultured, decent man who really cared for his constituency and Zimbabwe in general,” said Stevenson.

“He had a good grasp of the importance and wealth of natural resources in his constituency and the lower Zambezi valley in general, and was instrumental in several projects and programmes to enable the people to benefit from those resources while keeping them sustainable.”

It is no wonder that he has been mourned by inside and outside ZANU-PF, with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai saying he learnt of his death with great sadness.

Chindori-Chininga’s bi-partisan approach to Parliamentary business won him admirers and respect, even among ZANU-PF’s rivals and foes.

Former St Mary’s legislator and MDC99 leader Job Sikhala had this to say: “I worked with him in Parliament and the man was quite humble and sober and was always one of the most eloquent interpreters of documents written in French. He would engage everyone on very important issues and share his experiences in life as the person who lived much of his life in French speaking countries.”

Chindori-Chininga gave a voice to the voiceless and messages by ordinary Zimbabweans on social networks attest to that.

One said; “He was the only minister I saw when I was a civil servant walking alone in the street; without any bodyguard driving on his own,” and another one said: “You left your footprints on the sand of time, so engaging and even though we never met in person, we felt close to you.”

Mutumwa Mawere, whose SMM was arbitrary taken from him said the leading MP’s tragic death has robbed many of a rare voice of reason, maturity and fairness.

“To the SMM family, he is a hero for he gave their story a voice in Parliament and although his efforts did not produce the outcomes that the people affected deserve, it is one reminder that change is only possible if people choose to act,” said Mawere.

But as he lay lifeless, one of his young daughters took to Facebook to express the pain of losing a breadwinner:

“I can’t turn this around. I keep running into walls that I can’t break down. I just wander around, with my eyes wide open. The greatest man, the most loving man, the most intelligent man, the only father I have, died yesterday. Mother Mary in heaven, all the angels and saints pray to the Lord our God for my father’s soul and my family’s hearts.” Financial Gazette