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Cde Muvuti

Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
Veteran liberation war fighter, former Zimbabwe Newspapers Group board member and Zanu-PF National Consultative Assembly (NCA) member Cde Don Kwaedza Muvuti has died. He was 84. Cde Muvuti, who had been ill for some time, died at West End Hospital in Harare on Wednesday night.

Family spokesperson Cde Ephraim Muvuti confirmed his death yesterday.
“He died at the West End Hospital last night (Wednesday night). He had been unwell for some time. He had managed to go to work yesterday (Wednesday), but fell ill again when he had returned home. He was rushed to the hospital and sadly passed away at around 9pm. His death is a great loss for the family. He was a humble man, a unifier and courageous man. He loved all people irrespective of their social or political backgrounds and was a dedicated party cadre and an anchor for the whole family,” he said.

Cde Muvuti was born in Hwedza on June 20, 1933. He did his primary education at Chigwedere and Waddilove primary schools before proceeding to Goromonzi High School for his secondary education. Upon completing his secondary education, he was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship to study at Aligaru University in India. After attaining his first degree, he proceeded to New Dehli University for his master’s degree.

Cde Muvuti became politically active while doing his undergraduate degree and was part of the African Students Association that included the late Cdes Solomon Tawengwa and John Mataure, which articulated the needs of African students there, as well as being a vehicle through which they canvassed support for the African’ liberation movements fighting to end colonial rule.

After completing his master’s degree, Cde Muvuti joined the liberation struggle in Tanzania in 1964, where he met the late former Zanu national chairman, Cde Herbert Chitepo. During the war, he played a pivotal role in mobilising resources and international support for the country’s fight for independence.

He held various positions in Zanu, which included deputy secretary for information and publicity and deputy secretary-general. After independence, Cde Muvuti served in the Zanu-PF Politburo as Deputy Secretary for Finance. Cde Muvuti also served as a ZBC board member, sat in the Zanu-PF Central Committee and, at the time of his death, he was a member of the party’s NCA and a proof reader at the party’s publication, The People’s Voice. Cde Muvuti is survived by his wife, Deliwe, seven children and eight grandchildren. Mourners are gathered at number 14 Schmitt Avenue, St Martin’s in Harare. Burial arrangements will be announced in due course.