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Following a Politburo meeting held yesterday morning, Cde Tungamirai (56), who died at Harare’s Avenues Clinic from hypertension and heart complications, was conferred with liberation war heroine status.
However, brother to the widow of national hero, Air Chief Marshal Josiah Tungamirai, Mr Godfrey Nehumba, said it was the late heroine’s wish to be buried at a family shrine in Rusape’s Nehumba area.
He said the late Cde Tungamirai had written a letter highlighting her wish to be buried at her family shrine.

Defence Minister Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa described Cde Tungamirai’s death as a big loss, considering the contributions that she made in the liberation struggle.
He said Government had offered a State-sponsored funeral.
Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Cde Constantine Chiwenga, who worked closely with the widow’s husband, said: “Though he (the late Air Chief Marshal Tungamirai) was my boss, I regarded him as my brother. I am very sorry about the loss to this family.”

Zanu-PF Political Commissar and Media, Information and Publicity Minister, Cde Webster Shamu described the late Cde Tungamirai as a strategist whose vision illuminated many during the liberation struggle.
Top Government officials, among them State Security Minister Cde Sydney Sekeramayi, Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri and Zimbabwe Prison Service Commissioner-General Cde Paradzai Zimondi were also at Cde Tungamirai’s house to pay condolences.

Cde Tungamirai, whose Chimurenga name was Cde Pamela Hondoyakura, was born in Harare in 1954. She completed her O-Levels at Loreto Mission in 1971 and proceeded to do A-Levels at Goromonzi Secondary School. After failing to secure a place at the universities of Rhodesia and Botswana, she enrolled as a trainee nurse at Harare Central Hospital.
In 1977, she left nursing and took up a teaching post at Sipolilo with the intention of linking up with the freedom fighters.
She later joined the liberation struggle and received military training at Tembwe in Mozambique.

Cde Tungamirai was deployed in Manicaland Province before returning to Mozambique where she joined the Zanla medical corps. In 1978, Cde Tungamirai joined the Zanla information department as a reporter for the Zimbabwe News Magazine and other party publications.

At independence, Cde Tungamirai joined the then Ministry of Information and Tourism, then under Cde Nathan Shamuyarira. She also served in the Ministry of Transport before retiring to pursue a career in politics. She was elected Zanu-PF MP for Mabvuku-Tafara from 1989 to 2000. She was also a member of the Zanu-PF Central Committee from 1990 to 2009 when she stepped down due to ill health.
She is survived by three sons.

A church service will be held this morning at number 38 Clyde Road Eastlea, Harare before the body is taken to Rusape for burial tomorrow.