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Herald Reporter

The tragedies engulfing the country this week claimed former legislator and one of the long-serving members of the Booksellers Association of Zimbabwe, Mr Livingstone Manhombo.

Mr Manhombo, who for decades led the Booksellers’ Association of Zimbabwe, died in the early hours of Tuesday and was buried at the family’s Mayambara homestead in Seke yesterday, according to a family spokesperson.

He was 73.

The former Member of Parliament for Seke led the association for more than 30 years in various capacities and is credited with crafting its current constitution.

Mr Alex Mashamhanda, life patron of the Booksellers’ Association of Zimbabwe, in leading tributes yesterday described Mr Manhombo’s contribution to the sector as “immeasurable”.

“The chairman of the Booksellers’ Association of Zimbabwe, the executive committee and all booksellers have learnt with great sorrow of the passing on of Mr Livingstone Manhombo.

“His contribution will always be remembered and cherished. He held the honorary position of life patron after serving the association diligently.

“For example, in the early 1990s, Mr Manhombo led negotiations with the Government, as the biggest customer of the association, over a review of the agreement under which the association supplied books to schools.”

At stake then was the issue that the booksellers delivered books to schools throughout the country for free, while payment was rarely received inside the stipulated contractual time frame.

During the 1995 general elections, Mr Manhombo won the right to represent Seke in Parliament on a Zanu PF ticket.

He continued to represent the sector ably, championing the removal of tax on educational books and timeous payment of money owed to members of the association by the Government.

Mr Mashamhanda, who took over the chairmanship of the Booksellers’ Association of Zimbabwe in 1998 from Mr Manhombo, said the organisation wished to “extend its deepest sympathy to the Manhombo family and friends”.

After the 2000 parliamentary elections, Mr Manhombo, operated a service station (Chinhamo) along Chitungwiza before venturing into farming.

Prior to that he had worked for Chibuku, a subsidiary of the Delta Corporation, and Lever Brothers.

He is survived by his wife, Abigail, several children and grandchildren.