THE first African Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Zimbabwe (ELCZ) Bishop Jonas Shiri who died on Wednesday has been buried at Mtapa Cemetery in Gweru.
Bishop Shiri who was 96, died in Harare after a short illness.
The late Clergy was the first Black Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches and led a church delegation to the Lancaster House Conference in 1979, where he presented the plight of churches caught between warring forces.
The Chief mourner, who is also the Minister of Energy and Power Development, Honourable July Moyo, said the late Bishop’s contributions during the London talks and after independence proves he was a patriotic Zimbabwean who contributed immensely to the country’s development.
“This man was a great man indeed. We can not forget his energy during the Lancaster House negotiations which needed divine intervention. Today we are mourning a man whose patriotism towards the development of this country is indeed unquestionable. He fought a good fight and your loss today is also the country’s loss,” he said.
The church has been left poorer after the passing on of the late Bishop who was instrumental in formulating the constitution that guides the ELCZ today.
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The late Bishop was part of the team that crafted the 2015 constitution that guides the operations of the church. He was a scholar who wrote many publications. He was instrumental in educating the girl child and so the birth of female reverends in the church,” a fellow bishop said.
“Today we are mourning a man of integrity. Bishop Shiri was a man who stood for the truth. He was instrumental in shaping the church. It was difficult for him to be the first bishop during the colonial rule but he managed because he was a good leader,” a church leader said.
Bishop Shiri was ordained Bishop of the ELCZ in 1975 after he became a pastor in 1959.
He is survived by his wife Rugare, three children and several grandchildren.
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