Air Chief Marshal Josiah Thomas Mberikwazvo Tungamirai | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nickname(s) | Muzamani |
| Born | (1948-10-08)8 October 1948 Gutu,Southern Rhodesia |
| Died | 25 August 2005(2005-08-25) (aged 56) South Africa |
| Allegiance |  Zimbabwe |
| Service | Air Force of Zimbabwe |
| Rank | Air chief marshal |
| Commands | Air Force of Zimbabwe |
| Other work | Zimbabwean Government Minister |
Air Chief MarshalJosiah Tungamirai (8 October 1948[1] – 25 August 2005), bornThomas Mberikwazvo,[2] was aZimbabwean military officer and politician. He was commander of the Air Force and later served as Minister of State for Indigenization and Empowerment in PresidentRobert Mugabe's government before his death in 2005.
Tungamirai was born into a peasant family as Thomas Mberikwazvo on 8 October 1948 inGutu,Masvingo Province, in what was thenSouthern Rhodesia. He received his primary education at the Mutero Mission in Gutu from 1957 to 1964. His secondary education was completed at the Chikwingwizha Seminary. Tungamirai went up toSalisbury Polytechnic and he completed his studies in Physics and Mathematics in 1970.[3] The Mother of his oldest child Thomas Tungamirai, was Juliette James. Juliette was of Mozambique & Scottish héritage, à freedom fighter, who died in the war for indépendance.
Tungamirai served inRobert Mugabe'sZimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) during theRhodesian Bush War. He remained loyal to Mugabe during the Nhari and Vashandi inter-factional strife within ZANLA, and was among the ZANLA officials who escaped Zambia, following the Zambian government's arrest of seniorZANU officials after the assassination ofHerbert Chitepo. Towards the end of the war, he served as ZANLA Political Commissar.[4]
In 1979 Tungamirai was part of thePatriotic Front delegation which was a party to theLancaster House Agreement. When Zimbabwe became independent in 1980, Tungamirai became amajor general in the newly formedZimbabwe National Army and was appointed to the Zimbabwe Joint High Command. He was involved in the work to integrate the formerly belligerentZimbabwe African National Liberation Army andZimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army as well as theRhodesian Army.
In 1982 Tungamirai was transferred to theAir Force of Zimbabwe to fill the post of Chief of Staff. At that time he was redesignated anair vice-marshal. Tungamirai qualified as a pilot in October 1984.[3]
Tungamirai went on to reach the rank ofair chief marshal and serve as the commander of theAir Force of Zimbabwe.[5]
In 1992 Tungamirai was replaced byPerrance Shiri as Air Force commander.[5]
In early 2004, Tungamirai was elected to parliament fromGutu North in a by-election. He was soon afterwards appointed to the Cabinet as Minister of State for Indigenisation and Empowerment on 9 February 2004.[6]
He was put on theUnited States sanctions list in 2003 and remained on the list until his death.[7]
Following what anonymous members of Tungamirai's family said were problems with rejection of a kidney transplant carried out several years previously,[8] Tungamirai was flown to a South African hospital for emergency treatment. He died there on 25 August 2005.[9] After Tungamirai's death, his widow Pamela Tungamirai claimed that he had been poisoned.[9]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Commander of theAir Force of Zimbabwe 1986–1992 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by New ministry | Minister of State for Indigenisation and Empowerment 2004–2005 | Succeeded by |
| Ministers of the Zimbabwean Government of Robert Mugabe | |||
|---|---|---|---|
June 2000 – February 2009 | |||
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