Minister of Indigenization and Empowerment Josiah Tungamirai of Zimbabwe
Tungamirai said he was in the front vehicle.
Tungamirai was born into a peasant family as Thomas Mberikwazvo on 8 October 1948 in Gutu, Masvingo Province in what was then Southern Rhodesia.
In 1982 Tungamirai was transferred to the Air Force of Zimbabwe to fill the post of Chief of Staff.
In 1992 Tungamirai was replaced by Perence Shiri as Air Force commander.
In early 2004, Tungamirai was elected to parliament from Gutu North in a by-election.
Following what anonymous members of Tungamirai's family said were problems with rejection of a kidney transplant carried out several years previously, Tungamirai was flown to a South African hospital for emergency treatment.
a b Tungamirai was poisoned, wife claims, New Zimbabwe.
After waiting for nearly 12 years, former air force chief Josiah Tungamirai is finally going to contest the Gutu North seat, scheduled for February 2 and 3.
Tungamirai has been eyeing the Gutu North seat since he retired from the Air Force in 1992.
Tungamirai was at the forefront of calling for Mahofa to go and accused the party leadership of favouring her when they nullified a vote of no confidence in Mahofa passed by the people of Gutu South.
Tungamirai is believed to belong to the Eddison Zvobgo faction which once reigned supreme in Masvingo but seems to be withering with the declining health of its boss.
Tungamirai has all the qualifications that Zvinavashe has and more.
The passing on of Retired Air Chief Marshal Tungamirai has indeed robbed the nation of an astute veteran guerrilla leader and military strategist.
Cde Tungamirai was born Thomas Mberikwazvo on October 8 1948 in Gutu, Masvingo Province, to a peasant family that encouraged hardworking as an ethic.
Appointed to the post of political commissar in 1971, Cde Tungamirai was among the first three cadres to enter Rhodesia on reconnaissance in 1972.
On 2 September 1972, Cde Tungamirai was promoted to the General Staff and also appointed Sectoral Security Officer for Chamunda sector.
The destruction of the Kariba-Harare electricity pylons (1979.
In September 1979, Cde Tungamirai was recalled from operations to join the Zanu delegation to the Lancaster House Talks as Special Military Advisor to the late national hero, Cde Josiah Magama Tongogara who was the Chief of Defence.
At Independence in 1980, Cde Tungamirai was appointed a member of the Zimbabwe Joint High Command and played an active and commendable role in the integration of the formerly belligerent forces of Zanla and Zipra on one side and the Rhodesian Army on the other, to form one national force, the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA.
In December 1982, Cde Tungamirai was transferred to the Air Force of Zimbabwe to fill the post of Chief of Staff in the rank of Air Vice-Marshall.
The late Cde Tungamirai was an astute businessman who believed in the indigenisation of the economy envisaging the empowerment of the black people by restoring their control over the countrys resources and wealth.
In February last year, Retired Air Chief Marshal Tungamirai was elected Member of Parliament for Gutu North Constituency, after brushing a token challenge from the MDC candidate by a margin of 20 699 votes to 7 291.
For his outstanding contribution to the liberation and development of Zimbabwe, Cde Tungamirai was conferred an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of Zimbabwe in August 2003.
Cde Tungamirai was unanimously declared a national hero in record time.
camp led by the late Edison Zvobgo.
It was reported at the time that Tungamirai had been having problems with the rejection of a kidney transplant.
Confirming these allegations on SW Radio Africa Mrs Tungamirai said her husband fell sick after he had eaten half a pack of chips which had been bought for him by his driver on his way back home from a political meeting.
Although she did not accuse anyone in particular, Mrs Tungamirai said she suspects family members were involved.
Since her husband’s death Mrs Tungamirai has been embroiled in a legal battle with retired army general Solomon Mujuru and her two step sons Thomas and Tawanda over the estate.