A FORMER senior official in the Ministry of Media, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Mr Alois Chamboko, who died on Monday this week, was yesterday laid to rest at his rural home in Mwenezi.

Mr Chamboko, who was 70-years-old, died in Gwanda following a short illness.

The late civil servant retired as the acting director for rural communications in the Ministry in 2019.

Scores of people from across the country gathered at the Chamboko Homestead to pay their last respects.

Speaker after speaker including former workmates, community leaders, and businessmen praised Mr Chamboko for his selfless leadership qualities.

They said the top civil servant had been a pillar of strength for many people both at home and work.

His eldest son, Mr Samuel Chamboko, said they have lost their pillar of strength.

"He was a dedicated father, grandfather, great-grandfather and a friend to many. We have lost a pillar of strength," he said. Mr Chamboko was born on August 4, 1954, in Chivi and was educated at St Simon Zhara and Mucheke Secondary School in Masvingo province.

He joined the civil service in 1974 in the then District Commissioner's office.

In 1979 he moved to the Ministry of Information's mobile cinema unit before joining the then Zimbabwe Information Service (ZIS) as District Information Officer (DIO) for Beitbridge.

He rose through the ranks within the Ministry working in many provinces before retiring in 2019 as Acting Director- Rural Communications.

He is survived by his wife of 47 years Pauline, three children, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.