Perrance Shiri
Perrance Shiri (born Bigboy Samson Chikerema; 11 January 1955 – 29 July 2020) was a retired Zimbabwean air officer and government official who served as Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement in the Cabinet of Zimbabwe from 1 December 2017 until his death on 29 July 2020. He was the commander of the Air Force of Zimbabwe and member of the Joint Operations Command which exerts day-by-day control over Zimbabwe's government.
Perrance Shiri | |
|---|---|
Shiri in 2014 | |
| Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement | |
| In office 30 November 2017 – 27 July 2020 | |
| President | Emmerson Mnangagwa |
| Deputy | Davis Marapira |
| Commander of the Air Force of Zimbabwe | |
| In office 1992 – 7 December 2017 | |
| President | Robert Mugabe |
| Preceded by | Josiah Tungamirai |
| Succeeded by | Shebba Shumbayaonda (Acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Bigboy Samson Chikerema 11 January 1955 Gweru, Southern Rhodesia |
| Died | 29 July 2020 (aged 65) Harare, Zimbabwe |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | Royal College of Defence Studies |
| Awards | Grand Commander of the Zimbabwe Order of Merit |
| Nickname | Perrance Shiri |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Zimbabwe |
| Branch/service | Air Force of Zimbabwe |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Commands | Fifth Brigade Air Force of Zimbabwe |
Perrance Shiri was a cousin of former President Robert Mugabe. He called himself "Black Jesus", because according to an anonymous claim on the BBC Panorama documentary "The Price of Silence", he "could determine your life like Jesus Christ. He could heal, raise the dead, whatever. So he claimed to be like that because he could say if you live or not."
On 30 November 2017, Shiri was appointed Minister of Agriculture by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. On 18 December he was promoted from Air Marshal to Air Chief Marshal upon retirement.