Residents of Hwange have gone into mourning following the death of Chief Chana on Saturday night at Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo.
President Chana, born Guna Niloswe, has been receiving treatment at Bulawayo Hospital for the past three weeks.
Chairman of the Council of Chiefs, Chief Mtshane Khumalo of Bubi, said Chief Chana was an exemplary leader who held a number of senior positions in the province.
“We received the news of his death with great sadness as we thought he would recover. He was one of our senior leaders who we all looked up to in Matabeleland North, and you will recall that he was the regional chairman of the Council of Chiefs for about 15 years.
“He was the chief not only of Hwange, but of the province and the entire nation, having also at one point for many years represented the chiefs in the Senate.
“He held many senior positions at the provincial and national levels and after his death we have lost a lot as traditional leaders,” Chief Mchane said.
Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Delegation Minister Richard Moyo said the province had lost a respected leader. Moyo said consultations were ongoing between the family and the government on burial arrangements.
