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Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
Zanu-pf Midlands provincial deputy chairperson Cde Kizito Chivamba has died.
He was 59.
Cde Chivamba, who was National Assembly Member for Chiwundura, died yesterday morning at Gweru Provincial Hospital after a short illness. zanu-pf Midlands secretary for information Cde Cornelius Mupereri confirmed the death. “Yes, Cde Chivamba is no more,” he said. “He was admitted at Gweru Provincial Hospital last week before he passed on today. Mourners are gathered at his Indiva Farm in the Sino area just outside Gweru. Funeral arrangements are yet to be finalised.”

Cde Mupereri described Cde Chivamba as a dedicated member of the ruling party who worked hard for the growth of the party in the province.

He said Cde Chivamba would always be remembered for taking a lead in the restructuring exercise of the party ahead of the forthcoming 2018 harmonised elections.

Cde Mupereri said Cde Chivamba held different posts from the youths to the main wing until his death.

“Cde Chivamba worked well with the late Vice President Simon Muzenda, as well as other party members from the cells to the Politburo,” he said.

“He was a dedicated party member and we have lost a pillar of the province.

“In his constituency, he was spearheading party developmental programmes.”

Cde Mupereri said the province had since written to the Politburo requesting a suitable hero’s status for Cde Chivamba whom he said started activism in the 1970’s after the Pearce Commission during the Ian Smith regime.

Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs Cde Jason Machaya said he had received the news of Cde Chivamba’s death with great sorrow.

He said he worked well with Cde Chivamba from the early 1980s when they were both youths in zanu-pf.

“I worked well with him from the youths up to the main wing,” he said.

“When I was elected chairperson of the province, he was elected my deputy before he took over when I was suspended and was subsequently confirmed chairperson of the province.

“He worked well with the people and was dedicated and committed to the revolutionary party.”

Cde Chivamba was suspended last year together with two other provincial chairpersons Cde Joel Biggie Matiza (Mashonaland East) and Cde Ezra Chadzamira (Masvingo) on allegations of inciting insolence.

They were also accused of failing to rein in unruly and rogue elements in their respective provinces.

He was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing by the party’s National Disciplinary Committee, resulting in him bouncing back into the provincial executive as the deputy chairman in February.

At the same time, his then vice-chairperson, Engineer Daniel McKenzie Ncube, was elevated to substantive provincial chairperson.

Cde Chivamba was elected MP for Chiwundura in 2008.

He is survived by his wife Ceromina, six children and five grandchildren.

Politburo member Cde July Moyo and Cde Mupereri were among the first party members to arrive at Indiva Farm to console the family.