Kay was speaking at the burial in his capacity as the late Chapendama’s closest family friend and fellow MDC-T senior official.
“Chapendama was my family friend for over 40 years. He was one of the few principled people I have ever met. As a family, we learnt a lot of invaluable life lessons from Chapendama, who remained exceptionally resolute and brave in face of real danger posed by his political detractors. He put his life on the line as he jealously protected his strong belief in the truth. He believed that the truth in whatever form, was worth dying for,” said Kay.
His wife Kerry, an MDC-T National Executive Member, said the Good Samaritan had accommodated many orphans at his homestead despite the huge expense and related how Zanu (PF) supporters destroyed the orphanage in 2002, forcibly displacing the inmates. Chapendama was brutally beaten by thugs and left for dead.
The late Chapendama’s younger brother, Eric, in a desperate bid to please Zanu (PF) and CIO members present, declared his affiliation to the party and discouraged speakers from delivering political speeches at the grave side.
On the previous day, he had unsuccessfully attempted to ban MDC regalia and songs at the funeral. He had also warned mourners against using Kay’s vehicles to attend the funeral. But the MDC would have none of the challenges and told Chapendama that his late brother was one of the party’s pioneers who had brought the fight for democracy to Mashonaland East and recruited the majority of its members.
MDC youths led by Marondera Central District Youth Chairperson, Charles Ngwena, sang emotionally charged MDC songs throughout the proceedings.
Villagers told The Zimbabwean that in 2002 Zanu (PF) thugs at the behest of the then Marondera MP, Sydney Sekeramayi, now MDC-T Ttracy Mutinhiri (then Zanu (PF) Commissariat), Provincial Party Security Officer, Lawrence Katsiru among others, descended on the Chapendama homestead and destroyed the orphanage and other buildings, before attacking the late Herbert Chapendama.
Post published in: News