The Roman Catholic Church has announced the death of Bishop Emeritus Martin Munyanyi.
The Bishop of the Diocese of Gweru collapsed and died at his Shurugwi house on Sunday morning.
He was aged 66.
Gweru Diocese’s vicar-general, Reverend Father Simon Mavhiya confirmed Munyanyi’s death. He said:
To all priests, religious brothers and sisters and all the lay faithful, dear brethren, my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord it is with a heavy heart to announce to you the sudden passing on of Bishop Emeritus Martin Munyanyi of Gweru Diocese, who collapsed and died at his home in Shurugwi.
Munyanyi was appointed Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gweru by Pope Benedict XVI in May 2006.
He succeeded the late Bishop Francis Xavier Mugadzi as bishop of the more than 196 000 Catholics in the Diocese of Gweru.
The late Munyanyi was born on 3 January 1956 in the Bikita district, Masvingo province then in the Diocese of Gweru.
He attended Beardmore Mine Primary School and Silveira Mission School.
Munyanyi studied for the priesthood at Chishawasha and was subsequently ordained a priest on 3 September 1983.