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executive committee member, Cde Elizabeth Shudu (46) of Chipimbi Village in Chiredzi and Gutu district ex-detainees chairperson, Cde Alois Puraje (63) of Old Location in Mpandawana, died on the spot while Cde Tsungai Mutakwa (40) of Zvavahera Village in Gutu and  Stanley Munengerwa (39) of Mpandawana in Gutu, died on admission at Gutu Mission Hospital. Their car, a Land Cruiser, veered off the road and plunged into a river last weekend. Two other Zanu-PF members sustained severe injuries and are hospitalised at Gutu Mission Hospital. The Land Cruiser belongs to Masvingo Governor and Resident Minister Titus Maluleke. Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chairman Cde Lovemore Matuke, yesterday said Cdes Shudu and Puraje had been declared liberation war heroes after considering their sterling work in freeing Zimbabwe.
Cde Matuke said Cde Puraje will be buried in Gutu this week while Cde Shudu will be buried in Chiredzi on Saturday.
“We declared Cde Shudu and Cde Puraje as liberation heroes because of the roles they played in making sure Zimbabwe was freed from the yoke of colonial tyranny through our independence and also for the work they continued to do even after independence seeking the betterment of lives of the majority.
“Cde Puraje spend over eight years in jail after he was arrested by the Ian Smith regime for assisting freedom fighters during our country’s independence and he was chairman of ex-detainees Gutu district chapter.
Cde Shudu was a reputable war collaborator who assisted guerrillas with food and uniforms during our struggle for independence and continued to serve the party Zanu PF with distinction even after independence and was aparty provincial executive member at the time of her death,’’ said Cde Matuke.