Zimbabwean’s Roman Catholic Church priest, composer, novelist and nationalist Father Emmanuel Ribeiro has died aged 86.
Father Ribeiro died at St Anne’s Hospital in Harare Thursday (June 17) morning.
His death was confirmed by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Nick Mangwana.
Writing on Twitter, Mangwana said:
It is sad to learn that Father Emmanuel Ribeiro has passed on in the early hours of this morning. Father Ribeiro was assistant chaplain-general of Prisons at the time President @edmnangagwa was in prison. He was a major player in the design of our National Flag. MHDSRIP pic.twitter.com/uQuSpcyyDb
— Nick Mangwana (@nickmangwana) June 17, 2021
Father Ribeiro composed more than dozen Roman Catholic Church hymns.
He was a member of the committee which penned Zimbabwe’s national anthem and was part of the committee which designed Zimbabwe’s national flag.
Father Ribeiro facilitated the fleeing of the late President Robert Mugabe and Tekere to Mozambique during the war of liberation.
He also facilitated the release of the current President Emmerson Mnangagwa from the death two after he had been sentenced to death for blowing up a locomotive.
He was a prison Chaplain then.
