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Daniel Kachere Herald Correspondent
Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa has described Zanu-Pf cadre Cde Mudhumeni Chivende (pictured here), who died last Saturday, as one of the pioneering nationalists who liberated the country from colonial rule.

Cde Chivende (75) died at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital after a long battle with prostate cancer and will be buried today at his Mwera Oyera Farm.

In a statement yesterday, Acting President Mnangagwa said he was saddened by Cde Chivende’s death.

“I learnt with disbelief and great sadness of the death on Saturday morning of Cde Mudhumeni Nyikadzino Chivende after a long battle with prostate cancer.

“While we were aware of Cde Chivende’s ailment, we remained hopeful that he will be able to survive the debilitating condition for much longer. Regrettably it was not to be,” he said.

“Cde Chivende belonged to the early group of our pioneer nationalists with a political career that had its beginning in the 1960s as a youth activist fighting for independence and freedom from the white settler colonialists.

“He carved a niche for himself in nationalist politics starting with his membership of the National Democratic Party at its formation and the successor political parties, ZAPU, the People’s Caretaker Council, ZANU and zanu-pf in post-independent Zimbabwe.

“Throughout this period, Cde Chivende found himself always at the receiving end of the enemy which haunted him through persistent arrests, detentions and imprisonment for mobilising grassroots politics and recruiting youths to join the liberation struggle,” he said.

Vice-President Mnangagwa said the history of the liberation struggle particularly that of the Second Chimurenga would be incomplete without mentioning the role the late Cde Chivende played leading to the famous Chinhoyi Battle of 1966.

“His courage and exploits during the prosecution of the armed liberation struggle thus remain etched in our memories and this contribution to the development of the country post-independence cannot be faulted.

“His death has robbed the nation of one of the remaining few of the country’s crop of early nationalists.

“On behalf of the party zanu-pf, Government and my own behalf, I wish to express my deepest condolences to the Chivende family especially his wife Rosemary and the children for losing a husband and a loving father. May they take comfort from the knowledge that they are not alone during this hour of bereavement. The whole nation stands with them. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” he said.