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Daniel Chigunwe Herald Correspondent

The ruling Zanu PF party in Mashonaland Central province is mourning the death of its National Consultative Assembly (NCA) member, Cde Bernard Nyangoni who died on Wednesday.

Cde Nyangoni (70), who has since been conferred with the Liberation Hero status by President Mnangagwa, died after a short illness, succumbing to a kidney failure whilst at a local surgery in Harare.

Provincial party chairman Cde Kazembe Kazembe said the province has been robbed of a loyal cadre who has never been stained by controversy.

“He was a rare breed of politician. Loyal, dedicated to the party and down to earth. You would never hear his name in factional fights nor would you hear it in controversy.

“He served the party in various positions and portfolios including in, but not limited to, the DCC and the provincial executive. We served together in the provincial executive and he was my senior in the Mazowe West leadership structure between 2013 and 2016. He was a team player and we feel robbed as a province,” said Cde Kazembe.

Family spokesperson and provincial member Cde Cleopas Nyangoni described his brother as a selfless cadre who played a pivotal role during the liberation struggle and defended the party from the wiles of the opposition movement in the 2000s.

Serving alongside his peers including the late Cdes Border Gezi, Elliot Manyika and Richard Chanda, Cde Nyangoni played a pivotal role in the land redistribution programme and the building of the party in Mashonaland Central province.

“During the days before independence, my brother worked with freedom fighters providing information and clothes to the guerrillas and just after 1980, he became an active youth leader up to the 1990s when he fought against the inception of the opposition movement, the MDC and defended the party in Mazowe district.

“In the subsequent years, he served in numerous portfolios across the province. At the time of his death, he was a National Consultative Assembly member and we are happy with the recognition of his works which has been expressed through the conferment of the liberation hero status to him by President Mnangagwa. We feel humbled,” said Cde Nyangoni.

He will be buried at his Ruya Farm in Mazowe West on Saturday.

Cde Nyangoni is survived by his nine children.