*ELCZ* *Mourns* *a* *Senior* *Clergyman* *and* *Educationist*
*….as* *Rev* *Raphael* *Tangawamira* *(VaTanga)* *passes* *on*
*_By_* *_Dr_* *_Tinashe_* *_Gumbo_*
A Senior Minister of Religion and Educationist, Rev Raphael Paradza Tangawamira is no more. That man who wore a long and sustained smile is no more. The giant has fallen! He passed on in Zvishavane on 27 September 2021. When I received the sad news from Rev Tinayeshe Hove Mhazo, I quickly thought of sharing my feelings about Rev Tangawamira through this short piece.
The Mberengwa Christian community has been robbed of a man who was a pillar of strength in the Church and education sector. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ) at large nationally is in deep mourning.
This piece attempts to summarise a life of a man who shaped the education and religious lives of many in Mberengwa. Indeed, this is a huge task which can never be reduced into a paper.
Rev Tangawamira was a key figure in the ELCZ circles, firstly as a Clergyman, but also as an Educationist who serviced almost all the Church’s mission schools in Mberengwa as a Headmaster. These include Chegato, Msume, Masase and Mnene Schools. The educational performance of these schools during the tenure of Rev Tangawamira are amazing and they bear witness to the ability of this man as an educationist.
I personally first met Rev Tangawamira in 1991 when I was looking for a form one place. I had travelled about thirteen kilometres from Mavorovondo School, on foot to Masase School, where Rev Tangawamira was the school Headmaster. I was met with a smile that characterised the late Reverend. I had always heard about Rev Tangawamira through my brothers who had interacted with him at Msume and Mnene Schools. They had obviously described him variously. I surely had been eager to see this “Headmaster” in person. He asked me a number of questions before he committed himself to enrolling me at the school once my grade seven results were out. Unfortunately, when the results were finally released, and I had passed well enough to be considered at the school, I failed to raise the required school fees and I could not take up the place.
Rev Tangawamira was born on 14 June 1949, although it is believed that he could have been five to six years older than this official date of birth. He went to Ruvuzhe Primary School. Rev Tangawamira's humble beginnings contributed to his late attendance of primary education. However, the man went on to become a key player in Zimbabwe's education system despite that unfavourable background.
For his secondary education, the now late Reverend, went to Chegato Mission where he met his late first wife. My wife Angela Zvipo Gumbo, who directly interacted with the couple, has described it as a soft spoken pair. May the couple's souls rest in peace!
From Chegato, Rev Tangawamira went to the United Theological College (UTC) in Harare. The UTC is an interdenominational institution whose purpose is to train pastors and teachers of the Christian gospel for churches in Zimbabwe and the region. It is the largest ecumenical theological training school in Zimbabwe run by some mainline participating churches that include the ELCZ having been founded in 1954 and becoming an Ecumenical Protestant Seminary in 1955. It was named UTC in 1976.
After training at UTC, Rev Tangawamira was then ordained as a Minister of Religion in 1975 before he was deployed to Gweru (Greater Gweru then).
While in Gweru, Rev Tanga (as he was also known by many in the ELCZ family), applied for enrolment at the University of Rhodesia (now University of Zimbabwe). He however faced stiff resistance from the Church administration. Of course he was given difficult options, either to go to the university and consider leaving the Ministry or stay as the Minster in the Church. What an option? As a Minister who was committed to the cause that was started by Jesus Christ some over 1975 years ago (then), Rev Tangawamira chose to remain with the Church. Obviously, his choice could not have made sense to many of us who claim to be Christians today-not even to some of his family members.
It was only later on that the Church authorities notified him that he could now pursue his educational opportunities. He hurriedly arranged to join others at the university. He was assisted by the UTC which accommodated his family during his education period. He studied History and Religious Studies which qualified him into the education sector.
In 1980, Rev Tangawamira was deployed at Msume as the Headmaster and was later moved to Mnene in 1984 as Deputy Headmaster. He however, returned to Msume in 1988 as the School Headmaster.
In 1990, Rev Tangawamira then went to Masase to head the School. It is at this moment, that he entertained me as a humble and very innocent potential form one student.
A lot was happening within the Church run schools then, thus Rev Tangawamira was briefly transferred to Chegato and then deployed at Mnene School in 1996 where he served until 2000. He was then sent back to Chegato where he took over from the now late Mr Isiah Shumba (Masvayamwando) until 2015.
It is at Chegato School that Rev Tangawamira showed that he was a real leader with a spine. Things were not well nationally in terms of the economy particularly around 2008. It required a strong leader to keep such a big school afloat. The economy was so bad that in most schools, students would go for days without food. Rev Tangawamira will be remembered for his innovative ways that saved the situation at Chegato in such a difficult context.
In 2006 to 2008, I again personally interacted with Rev Tangawamira when I was working for the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC). I was responsible for the Rain Water Harvesting project that was being implemented in Mberengwa’s Gwavamutangwi, Mudzidzi, Muketi, Matedzi and Nyala areas. I was working with the now late Mrs Spiwe Dewa, also from Msume, the home area for Rev Tanga. Indeed, it is this project that motivated me to become a political activist later in the years. I thought I would address all the challenges that Mberengwa faced. Let me not go deeper with regards to what then transpired from then until 2013.
Rev Tangawamira approached me and Mrs Dewa for assistance towards the school in terms of water projects. We wished to do more but we had our own limitations. We did what we could!
Rev Tangawamira retired from education in 2015. However, as I now know from my seventeen years of ecumenical work, a Minister of Religion does not retire. A lot more tasks will be waiting him or her, away from the pulpit. Rev Tangawamira remained seized with Church work. During the COVID-19 (until his time of death), Rev Tangawamira would assist in the development of Sunday School materials. These were then shared through the social media and other platforms. He also assisted with Church services in Zvishavane South where he was now based.
The now late ELCZ Clergyman married his second wife, Rev (Mrs) Tangawamira (nee Muzezewa) some eight years ago. Mrs Tangawamira is also a fellow Minister of Religion with the ELCZ serving at Rengwe in Mberengwa. The late Reverend further continued to assist in the Church processes at Rengwe-indeed, a Minister never retires.
Rev Tangawamira was blessed with six children namely, Amicable Tangawamira; Farai (Mrs Vhudzijena); Kundai (Mrs Ravengai); Tungamirai (Mrs Zvinavashe); Dr Anotida Tangawamira and Zvikomborero Tangawamira. At the time of his death, Rev Tangawamira was now a grandfather with the eldest grandchild being twenty two and the youngest was two years old. In total, he had twelve grandchildren.
After "retirement", Rev Tangawamira ventured into farming in Kwekwe where he has been doing so well in cattle herding and crop farming. Every month, the Reverend would visit his farm to ensure that things were in order. At Mataga Growth Point, he also owned some property (business centre) which is being rented out to some entrepreneurs. Despite his age, Rev Tangawamira challenged many by constructing properties (residential) at the Growth Point and in Zvishavane where he lived until his untimely death.
As the ELCZ family and Mberengwa Community gather today to lay to rest their Hero,
We say:
Rest in Peace Reverend!
Rest in Peace Teacher!
Rest in Peace the Headmaster!
Rest in Peace Zhou!
Till we meet again!
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