Oliver Saunyama

Oliver Saunyama was born in Umtali, Southern Rhodesia and trained as a teacher in the 1950s at St Augustine's Mission in Penhalonga. He was married to his wife Bessie Saunyama and had six children. After teaching at various schools in Manicaland Saunyama became the ZANU (Sithole) representative in Botswana in 1973. With this position came great responsibility but it also meant he had to be absent from home often. Five years later he was recalled by the party and he was promoted to be the secretary for welfare. The position also carried with it a seat on the ZANU Central Committee. Oliver was shot and killed in January 1980 by two assailants armed with AK47 assault rifles while reversing from his house on his way to work. He died instantly from the wounds he sustained. The reasons put forward for his killing have a link to his strong condemnation for corruption.