By Farirai Mutumburanzou
Senate President Hon. Mabel Chinomona yesterday celebrated the lives of her parents during a tombstone unveiling ceremony for Sekuru Tirivangasi and Mbuya Hilda Tepa in Kawere, Mutoko.
The family function was well attended by relatives and government officials who came to show support for Hon. Chinomona.
The Senate President was visibly emotional as she recalled that 1977, the year her father passed away, was also the year the Chimoio camp in Mozambique during the liberation struggle was bombed — an attack she miraculously survived.
“That day I could not sleep. I was restless and failed to go to the parade with the others. Later, hundreds were killed in the massacre. It can only be God and the ancestors of this land who fought for me, and my father who may have said, ‘Please look after my child.’ This year brings back a lot of memories,” she said.
Hon. Chinomona also reflected on the post-war compensation process.
“When the war was over, many of us went in to get compensation. Some even lied to get more remuneration. But I said I was not injured, so I should not claim. Today, God has compensated me even more because of the position I now hold,” she added.
Family members took turns to give speeches, describing Sekuru Tirivangasi as a hardworking father who provided for his family, and Mbuya Hilda Tepa Chinomona as a woman who united the family.
It was noted that Sekuru Tirivangasi had 6 wives and 39 children. Today, only 9 of the children remain.
The tombstone unveiling was both a tribute and a moment of reflection for the Chinomona family, it celebrated a legacy of hard work, unity, and resilience.
For the Senate President, it was a reminder of divine protection and purpose — from surviving the liberation war to now serving the nation in one of its highest offices.
