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bid farewell to former Zimbabwe Prison Services commissioner Mr Langton Chigwida who died in the early hours of Wednesday after an asthma attack.
Speaker after speaker described the late ex-commissioner as a dedicated and hardworking member who contributed immensely towards the transformation of the Zimbabwe Prison Service from a punitive system of administration to a more rehabilitative one.
Attorney-General Mr Johannes Tomana described Mr Chigwida as a gentle giant who was a reservoir of wisdom whose integrity, loyalty and consistency in serving both his country and the organisation could not be questioned.
“Langton assumed the leadership of the prison service at a time when the black-led Government was taking a leading role and concerted efforts in addressing the colonial imbalances that were short changing Zimbabweans.
“The late retired commissioner’s constructive and momentous contributions in chatting the way forward in post-independent Zimbabwe after having inherited and assumed leadership of a service that was characteristic of discriminatory policies against the blacks shall always be remembered among all the ranks and file,” he said.
In his graveside speech, Mashonaland Central Governor and Resident Minister Cde Martin Dinha said although he received the message of the death of Chigwida with shock, he was indeed celebrating a life well lived.
He said Mashonaland Central province greatly appreciated the respect and honour bestowed on the late Commissioner by all who participated in his burial.
Commissioner of Prisons Rtd Major Gen Paradzayi Zimondi, said the late Chigwida was a humble and trustworthy member.
“He was a humble, considerate and honest leader who was very easy to interact with during his tenure in the Zimbabwe Prison Service. Upon my secondment to the Zimbabwe Prison Service in 1988 as Deputy Commissioner of Prisons, my working experience with the retired Commissioner showed that the deceased was a modest man. I have no hesitation to say that this made my work and transition from deputy Commissioner to Commissioner quite easy,” he said.
Born on 1 April, 1946 at Zimuna Village in Guruve, he Joined the then Rhodesia Prison Service in 1967. In 1972 he was promoted to the rank of corporal.
He rose through the ranks and in November 1980 was appointed Deputy Director of Prisons. Four years later, he was appointed Director of Prisons, a title that was later changed to Commissioner of Prisons in August 1995.
He retired from Prisons in March 1998.
The burial was also attended by Justices Rita Makarau and Tendai Uchena, Defence Forces Commander General Constantine Chiwenga, ZRP Deputy Commissioner General Godwin Matanga, General Manager Uniformed Forces Mr Dhingindhlela Zisengwe and senior ZPS officials among others.