Vitalis Zvinavashe

Vitalis Zvinavashe
Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces
In office
July 1994 – December 2003
PresidentRobert Mugabe
Preceded bySolomon Mujuru
Succeeded byConstantino Chiwenga
Personal details
Born(1943-09-23)23 September 1943
Southern Rhodesia
Died11 March 2009(2009-03-11) (aged 65)
Manyame Military Hospital
Resting placeNational Heroes' Acre
NationalityZimbabwean
Political partyZANU-PF
(Until 2008)
SpouseMargaret Zvinavashe
Residence(s)Masvingo, Zimbabwe
OccupationPolitician, Nationalist
ProfessionSoldier, Military Commander
NicknameFox-Gava[1]
Military service
AllegianceZimbabwe Zimbabwe
Branch/serviceZimbabwe National Army
Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army
RankGeneral

Vitalis Musungwa Gava Zvinavashe (27 September 1943 – 10 March 2009) was a Zimbabwean general officer, politician and the first commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces "ZDF". Zvinavashe had modest academic credentials but was renowned among Zimbabwe’s military circles as a strategist.

  1. ^ "Zimbabwe army commander to retire". CNN. Reuters. 4 November 2003. Retrieved 7 August 2018.