By Own Correspondent| Defence Minister and Zanu Pf Chairperson Oppah Zvipange Muchinguri-Kashiri has dismissed claims that the late Zimbabwe National Liberation Army (ZANLA) forces commander, General Josiah Magama Tongogara was assassinated by his colleagues.

Tongogara died on 26 December 1979 in a car crash in Mozambique on the eve of the country’s independence.

He was in the company of a driver and Muchinguri who was his secretary.

The former Prime Minister of Rhodesia, Ian Smith claimed that Tongogara was killed by his own people, a view corroborated by the American spy agency, the Central Intelligence Agency.

Speaking at the 2018 annual commemoration of Tongogara’s death at the National Heroes’ Acre yesterday, Muchinguri-Kashiri said:

“I happened to be in the same car with him when the accident happened. There was a truck which was towing a trailer that was in front of our vehicle.

“(The truck was in the middle of the road and heading in the same direction.

As our driver was about to overtake, our vehicle was blocked by the trailer resulting in the accident that killed Cde Tongogara. I didn’t kill Tongogara.”