The priest died at St Anne’s Hospital in Harare this morning.

Father Riberio was born in 1935 into a strong Catholic family. He was ordained a diocesan priest on 13 December 1964.

Before he was ordained as Catholic priest he was responsible for composing the first Shona hymns for the church. His first song was named “Gamuchirai Mambo mupiro uyu”. It started being sung in 1961 and continues to be sung to this day.

Some of his other popular compositions include, “Alleluia munyika dzose”, “Tauya nezvipo zvemupiro”, “Mambo Mwari wamasimba”, ”Hwayana yaMwari”, Mwari Ngaarumbidzwe”.

The priest didn’t only make an impact in the church. Outside the church he is also took the roles of nationalist and novelist. He was one of pioneering Shona novelist alongside Solo Mutsvairo. He wrote Muchadura.

During colonial Rhodesia he was a prison chaplain. He was the go between the nationalist & the outside world. He used to smuggle prison letters for the nationalist to the outside world.

Ribeiro was also part of the committee that designed the Zimbabwean flag.

Many people are certainly going to miss him.

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