Veteran Journalist Banga Burial Today

By Daniel Kachere

Celebrated veteran journalist and media trainer Peter Banga will be buried today at his rural homestead in Nhekairo village, Wedza.

His body lay in state at Banga Doyce homestead last night where a vigil was held in his honour.

Banga died in his sleep at his home in Harare’s Sunningdale 3 suburb last Friday morning, a development which shocked the media industry and other sectors where he was popular for his works.

Media expert and political analyst Dr Alexander Rusero said Banga will be forever missed for his prowess in balancing training and the practise of journalism.

“Journalism life lived to the fullest, a delicate balance of training and practising in equal measure, he shall forever be missed,” he said.

Experienced media lecturer and political analyst Dr Wellington Gadzikwa who was Banga’s colleague expressed shock at his untimely death.

“We are saddened following the death of Mr Peter Banga the head of Harare Polytechnic School of Journalism. We are shocked that he had to die in an unfortunate manner yet he was well yesterday. We never suspected that he could be in any way ill, so we are in great shock,” Dr Gadzikwa told Nhau in an interview.

Another former Mass Communication lecturer, Danford Zirugo shared a poem dedicated to the veteran on his Facebook page.

“Uncle Peter Banga, I think you forgot to sign out.

You were an Uncle who made everyone else an Uncle,

Not signing out is the last thing we expected of you.

That is also the last thing we could forgive you for.

Or perhaps you aspired to be one of those legendary uncles?” reads part of the poem.

Professor Davison Munodawafa, of the Midlands State University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences lauded Banga for his role in developing future journalists reporting on health.

“His heart and soul were in developing future journalists that were fully equipped to undertake health reporting, specifically Covid-19, cholera and Ebola.

“Peter spoke passionately about health reporting. His passion took him to the World Health Organisation Headquarters in Geneva, and to Shanghai in China, where he attended the 9th Global Conference on Health Promotion.”

Many journalists who passed through his hands and students who were under his training all expressed their sentiments in mourning his untimely death, with most expressing that they will miss his patience, wise counsel and were grateful for the role he played in changing their lives.

At the time of his death Banga was the Harare Polytechnic Principal Lecturer and Head of the Department of Mass Communication after assuming the position in 2005.

Banga was also a critical member of the Information and Media Panel of Inquiry (IMPI) that was launched in December 2013 by former Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo to carry outreach programmes and gathering views of the public regarding the country’s media scenery. Nhau/Indaba