Harare, – Zimbabwe’s first black bus owner, Miles Kupara Chanakira, has died. The late Mr Chanakira had most of his buses burnt by Robert Mugabe’s freedom fighters during the so called liberation war.
Chanakira owned and operated Modern Express Motorways, Zimbabwe’s first indigenous owned bus company before Indepedence. A very wealthy businessman, Chanakira is also believed to be the first black Zimbabwean to drive a brand new Mercedes Benz luxury saloon motor vehicle.
He also built several mansions especially at his rural homestead, Chanakira Village in Seke Communal lands about 25km outside Harare.
Chanakira (93) had been unwell for some time but succumbed to heart complications on Monday night.
The businessman built the biggest shopping centre at Gazaland Shopping Centre in Highfield and owned more than 75 percent of all the shops at Machipisa Shopping Centre also in Highfield.
Chanakira had more than 50 buses burnt by freedom fighters during the war of liberation after they accused him of sponsoring and supporting Bishop Abel Tandekai Muzorewa, Prime Minister of the short-lived Zimbabwe/Rhodesia government.
He is survived by two wives and more than 24 children. Chanakira has more than 100 grandchildren. He was the uncle of Harare banker Nigel Chanakira.
