Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba (60) and founding nationalist and Zanu PF Central Committee member Cde Morton Dizzy Paul Malianga (91), who died last week, are likely to be buried at the National Heroes Acre on the same day.
Dr Gwaradzimba succumbed to Covid-19, while Cde Malianga (91) had been ill for some time.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Mr Aaron Nhepera, yesterday confirmed the possibility of a double burial ceremony, with arrangements now being made and recommendations given. However, no final decisions have been made yet.
The two were conferred with national hero and national heroine status by President Mnangagwa on Saturday for their contributions to the liberation struggle.
On April 13, 2016, Cdes Victoria Chitepo and Vivian Mwashita were interred at the National Heroes Acre on the same day, while Cde Maud Muzenda, the widow of Vice President Simon Muzenda, and Cde George Rutanhire were also buried at the same ceremony on August 26, 2017.
Cde Malianga was founding president of the National Democratic Party (NDP) in 1959. After the NDP was banned in December 1961, he became Zapu secretary for Public Affairs and was Zanu PF’s first secretary for Youth and Culture, appointed at the party’s first congress of May 1964.
In 1965, he was arrested by the settler regime for his liberation efforts and spent 10 years in prison.
During his time at Salisbury Maximum Security Prison, Cde Malianga obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree, majoring in economics, business economics and accounting.
After his release from prison in December 1974, he worked with other members of the Zanu Central Committee in mobilisation for the liberation war. He attended the Victoria Falls talks, the Geneva Conference and the Lancaster House Conference.
FLASHBACK . . . President Mnangagwa waters a tree he had planted at Ngangu Township in Manicaland during a tour of Cyclone Idai affected areas, while Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister and national hero Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba(wearing yellow helmet) looks on.— Picture: Tawanda Mudimu
In the First Parliament of Zimbabwe, Cde Malianga was appointed Senator and became Deputy Minister of Economic Planning and Development in 1981 and two years later, he became Deputy Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development.
In the second Parliament, he was elected Member of Parliament for Mutare West and appointed Deputy Minister of Trade and Commerce in 1988 and in March 1990 was re-elected as MP for the constituency and appointed Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce.
Cde Malianga had a special interest in media and when he was in exile in Cairo, Egypt, around 1963, he edited a journal called the Zimbabwe News which was distributed to diplomats.
He also sat on the Zimpapers Board.
Cde Malianga is survived by his wife Cde Effie Malianga, two sons and two grandchildren.
Dr Gwaradzimba, whose Chimurenga name was Cde Shee Tapera, joined the liberation struggle in
1976.
She underwent military training in Tanzania at Nachigwea Military Academy in 1977 and was deployed and operated in the Gaza Province that covered the south-eastern zone between 1977 and 1978 where she rose to detachment command level in the provincial command structure.
After independence, Dr Gwaradzimba rose through the party ranks to be a member of the Zanu PF Central Committee and Manicaland provincial chairperson in the Women’s League.
In 2018, she was elected a Senator for Manicaland with the party asking her to concentrate on Mutare and its surrounding areas, to area covered by the constituencies of Mutare Central and North, Mutasa South and Dangamvura-Chikanga.
Dr Gwaradzimba was appointed Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister in 2018, a post she held until her untimely death.
She is survived by three sons.
The second wave of Covid-19 has impacted rural communities, which were previously seen as safe havens, with many positive cases and deaths reported since the beginning of the year.
Most rural areas have reported cases of Covid-19, especially those sharing borders with neighbouring countries.
Mashonaland West province, which recorded 20 deaths last Thursday is fretting over the rate of infections.
Mhangura constituency in Makonde District has since January 5 recorded over 37 positive cases and one death.
Makonde district medical director, Dr Paradzai Mudzengerere said the second wave of the pandemic, which prompted Government to reintroduce lockdown Level Four at the beginning of the year, has been devastating.
“The current figures that we recorded in the district as from this year alone are alarming. As at January 13, the whole district had recorded 132 cases with over five deaths.
“Unlike the previous phase where the cases were low and most remote areas not recording any cases, Mhangura constituency for example, which is mostly rural, has recorded 37 cases with one death since the announcement of the lockdown this year,” he said.
He deplored the complacency levels in rural areas and called on communities to adhere to the lockdown regulations of wearing facing masks in public areas, maintaining social distance, washing hands regularly with soap and staying indoors except when going to seek medical attention and buying food, or working in the essential services sector.
Zvimba district medical director, Dr Terrence Dandadzi confirmed the surge in cases in the district in the second wave.
He said despite the announcement of Level Four lockdown, people have remained defiant.
A curfew from 6pm to 6am is in force, but some people still wander around the main roads and residential areas.
Mhangura legislator, Cde Precious Chinhamo-Masango, has partnered with the health department including the Environmental Health Technician (EHT) and laboratory technicians to embark on a massive campaign and testing drive using the party vehicle.
The Herald caught up with the team at Windsork Farm in Ward 5 of the constituency last week raising Covid-19 awareness.
Windsork Farm is the place where a truck driver died upon arrival, although tests proved he didn’t die of the pandemic.
Cde Chinhamo-Masango called on communities to abide by the lockdown regulations to minimise the spread of the virus, and consequently save lives. – Herald
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