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The late Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement, Perrance Shiri was instrumental in the revival of major irrigation projects in Matabeleland South province as part of the Government’s thrust to ensure food security countrywide.

Cde Shiri also helped many farmers to adopt modern livestock farming methods under the command livestock initiative.

This was said by Matabeleland South Zanu- PF’s provincial chairman, Cde Rabelani Choeni soon after receiving news of the Minister’s death.

He said the nation had lost a revolutionary and a hard-working servant of the people.

“We have lost a very hard-working man who was not only a freedom fighter but a Cabinet Minister,” said Cde Choeni.

He said when Cde Shiri was appointed Agriculture Minister, most irrigation schemess in Matabeleland South province were on the verge of collapse but many have now been rehabilitated.

“Through his efforts in line with our party election manifesto on increasing agriculture production, Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) irrigation projects in Maphisa and Ingwizi (Plumtree) are now operating at full capacity. In addition, the Tuli Manyange and Makwe irrigation schemes are taking shape,” said Cde Choeni.

In Beitbridge Cde Shiri pushed for the implementation of the long-awaited 63km Zhovhe- Beitbridge canal to bring water from Zhovhe Dam to Beitbridge town.

Cde Choeni said the canal project had already secured funding from both the Zimbabwean and Kuwait Governments.

“The Minister was very approachable and would give everyone an ear and was ready to take up progressive ideas,” he said.

Cde Choeni said Minister Shiri had a passion for livestock farming which is the major farming activity in Matabeleland South province hence he was a darling for the province.

He said many farmers had adopted modern livestock farming methods to improve their breeds such as artificial insemination introduce by the Agricutlure Ministry.

Cde Choeni said some farmers also benefited from farming expos and engagements with the Minister who had the zeal to see everyone succeeding.

“We are saddened by the loss of a man who was always hands-on and always on the ground with the farmers monitoring and capacitating them to produce more,” said the provincial chairperson.

Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs Minister Cde Richard Moyo also said Cde Shiri was a hard-worker.

He said the Minister had helped secure an investor for Bulawayo Kraal in Binga.

“We join the nation and the President in mourning the late Minister. He was a hard worker who was determined to see the success of the agriculture sector through various projects he initiated.

Cde Shiri secured an investor for Bulawayo Kraal in Binga and the investor is promising to breathe a new life into the project. We hope who ever will take over from him will not change plans that he put in place for the project to succeed,” he said.

Bulawayo Minister of State Judith Ncube said she was shocked to learn of the death of the Minister.

“We are in shock, people of Bulawayo are in shock. It is painful to lose leaders like him and we are mourning together with the Shiri family and the President,” she said.

Zanu-PF Midlands Provincial Chairman Engineer Daniel McKenzie Ncube described retired Chief Air Marshal Shiri as a man with a glowing liberation struggle history who remained loyal to the party and the nation his entire life.

Eng Ncube said Rtd Chief Air Marshal Shiri was a pragmatic man who transformed the country’s agricultural sector and the nation benefited from his astute leadership that saw him serving with distinction.

“As the Midlands Province we have learnt with deep sadness the untimely death of Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Rtd Chief Air Marshal Shiri. The province and the nation at large have been plunged into deep mourning as we have lost a selfless, dedicated servant leader,” he said.

“He served the nation and the party diligently and we will forever cherish his work in protecting the gains of the revolution. May his dear departed soul rest in eternal peace. We are poorer without him.”

Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Larry Mavima said Cde Shiri was a loyal, dedicated and hardworking son of the soil whose exploits as a young man is well documented and will always be remembered in the history of Zimbabwe.

“Cde Shiri was a loyal, dedicated and hardworking son of the soil whose exploits as a young man is well documented and will always be remembered in the history of our free Zimbabwe. He was a cool, collected, calm, clear thinker and was well respected by many,” said Minister Mavima.