Moven Mahachi, Zimbabwean soldier and politician, Zimbabwean Minister of Defence (b. 1952)
Moven Enock Mahachi (13 June 1948 – 26 May 2001) served as the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Zimbabwe. He was a close ally of Robert Mugabe within Z.A.N.U.-P.F. Before becoming Defence Minister Mahachi served as M.P. for Makoni West.Mahachi was killed on 26 May 2001 when his Land Rover Discovery collided with an Alfa Romeo sedan which cut the Land Rover off along the Mutare to Nyanga road. At the time Zimbabweans considered his death suspicious, especially as Mahachi died thirty days after another M.P., Border Gezi, was killed.
Mahachi was married and had four children at the time of his death. He was declared a national hero by the Government of Zimbabwe and was buried in the National Heroes Acre in Harare.
On 30 July 2009 Mahachi's predecessor, Enos Nkala, claimed that Mahachi was assassinated at the behest of Robert Mugabe because he opposed the looting of diamonds in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In a statement he said:
Moven was an outsider in an exclusive club – the Committee of 26 – comprising politicians of Zezurus and Korekore origin. This committee of looters have controlled the army, the police, the CIO and appear to think that they went to war for self enrichment. To them Mahachi was an obstacle in their quest to amass wealth using the pretext of fighting a prolonged war to restore sovereignty in the DRC, just as they had done in Mozambique during the military campaign against Renamo. So he had to go.
In 2005 Mahachi was commemorated on Zimbabwean Post $50,000 stamp.
2001May, 26
Moven Mahachi
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Events on 2001
- 6May
Pope John Paul II
During a trip to Syria, Pope John Paul II becomes the first pope to enter a mosque. - 11Sep
September 11 attacks
Two hijacked aircraft crash into the World Trade Center in New York City, while a third smashes into The Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, and a fourth into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, in a series of coordinated suicide attacks by 19 members of al-Qaeda. A total of 2,996 people are killed. - 14Sep
September 11, 2001 attacks
Historic National Prayer Service held at Washington National Cathedral for victims of the September 11 attacks. A similar service is held in Canada on Parliament Hill, the largest vigil ever held in the nation's capital. - 17Sep
September 11 attacks
The New York Stock Exchange reopens for trading after the September 11 attacks, the longest closure since the Great Depression. - 7Oct
War in Afghanistan (2001-2014)
The Global War on Terrorism begins as a result of the September 11 attacks. The U.S. invasion of Afghanistan initiates with an air assault and covert operations on the ground.